Shaun Lintern: Thousands of NHS patients have died, gone blind or suffered serious injuries because of delays in their care
Shaun Lintern, Health Editor, The Sunday Times, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“EXCLUSIVE: Thousands of NHS patients have died, gone blind or suffered serious injuries including having limbs amputated because of delays in their care. It has cost the NHS £8.5bn in compensation since 2010.
Since 2010 there were 5,458 deaths, 1,066 amputations and 538 patients who subsequently went blind. Other injuries included unnecessary pain, strokes and fractures.”
Chief Medical Officer at
“Waiting lists are not just a political irritant – they cause great harm and potentially take lives.
This investigation into the NHS situation should resonate here in Australia.”
Vicki Durston the Director of Policy, Advocacy and Support Services at the Breast Cancer Network Australia, added:
“Thanks, Steve. The data you shared is striking, revealing a staggering cost of over £8.3 billion in compensation due to treatment and diagnosis delays.
These numbers, combined with stories like Sharni’s, where a young woman with the BRCA2 gene faced significant delays as she waited for a risk reducing mastectomy – far too long , that ultimately led to a breast cancer diagnosis, highlight deeply concerning similarities we are seeing here in Australia.
The impact on Sharni’s life was profound. Her experience resonates powerfully across our network, reminding us of the real and personal toll these systemic issues take on individuals. It’s crucial we identify the lessons learned here before Australia follows a similar path.”
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