Diabetic Mother Loses Leg in NHS Blunder

Karen Webb had her leg amputated when doctors failed to treat a diabetic ulcer on her foot. Here, Karen, a mum of two, bravely speaks about her traumatic ordeal with the NHS and life following her amputation, and how legal action has given her confidence again. For confidential legal advice with a specialist medical negligence solicitor, call Slater and Gordon Lawyers today on 0808 175 7783, or contact us online at https://www.slatergordon.co.uk/contact-us/ Transcript: I think I had this ulcer for ten months and it just wasn't clearing up at all. It was getting worse and worse and I was feeling so ill and also being diabetic it has to be looked after so I went to a podiatrist and I assumed he was looking after my foot. The MRI scan wasn't working and then there was no appointments available for me and for that first week in hospital I didn't have a scan at all. I mean I know they're busy but these things, this is my life. It's trust. You know if you get ill you go to the doctors you trust what they're telling you is right and, you know, and that they're going to look after you and that they took this Hippocratic oath that you know they would do their best to look after you and I think that this time it's failed on me. I don't think they were really bothered about my foot you know but maybe doing this it will just make the hospital think right okay we need you know tighter control you know if you do get a patient come in refer them like you're supposed to do like the NICE guidelines you know refer them within 48 hours. It has made it harder. The things that I used to do I can’t, even just simple gardening, because the leg obviously is very stiff I can’t bend down to garden. If I take it off to bend down I can’t get back up again. When you first have it the leg is so big and swollen you can’t fit in your normal clothes. In fact you can’t fit in any clothes except sweat pants so you sit around in sweatpants for months and that doesn’t do you any good psychologically, you know. It is hard, physically, to get back on your feet after you’ve had an amputation, but it’s a lot lot harder psychologically to get back on your feet. So I called Slater and Gordon because I noticed that they specialise in amputations. They’ve actually given me the confidence to get back up on my feet again now, because they’re working so hard to get me justice that it makes me feel good. It makes me feel that somebody is doing something for me. They are trying to get justice for me and that’s really important. It’s important to have the communication with Slater and Gordon, with your solicitor, because otherwise you sit around thinking what’s going on, have I been forgotten again, am I neglected again? But Slater and Gordon, and Emma Doughty, she hasn’t done that. She’s been brilliant.