Medical Negligence NHS - where do I start?

[Cocolisboa]

Been under a "specialist" for 4 years in the NHS (Scotland). Was told I had a benign condition, never ever did they biopsy and they blindly diagnosed as benign. Don't want to fully go into the condition but it is reproductive area and involves cervix etc. Well 4 years later, the specialist retired and a fresh pair of eyes has come in and sent me for biopsy asap!!! Boom, cancer which has spread to the local area (reproductive area). I am only 32, this is probably going to affect my fertility and I haven't had children yet (we had planned for that this year, tp say im devastated is an understatement). I start treatment next week. We have seen that the "specialist" hadn't followed NICE guidelines at all and they stated biopsy after 3 months if no improvement. She never biopsed, blindly diagnosed, had me on steroid medication that completely caused me years of hell! When I never needed it and it made me even more immunosuppressed which has made this spread quite horrificly! Doctor is confident I am "safe" and we will get this treated. However, the psychological impact is horrible. I have lost complete faith in the specialist and system they had in place, nobody ever double checks their work or diagnoses. Treatment is also about to be pretty horrific. This condition that I had in the first place also prevented me from working and looking back now, if she had biopsied I could have had surgery and all of this would have gone away and LOTS of things wouldn't have had happened, such as severe infections due to steroid use which required hospitalisations etc.

We want to sue/claim for medical negligence but because I don't work due to my health I don't have spare cash lying around to actually pursue this. Legal aid for medical negligence in Scotland has apparently been stopped. The only option I think I may have is no win no fee type of claims or going via my union as they offer legal assistance (I am a retired union member who still pays subscription for all the union benefits). To be honest I also want this person reprimanded and their work quality checked as it worries me that they could blindly diagnose without biopsy and get away with that.

What options do I have? (I know preserving my life and focusing on treatment is the main priority here, but I have lost income and my mental health is at an all time low level with the stress of all of this and how much the treatment is going to affect me etc).

[Cocolisboa]

Anyone got any advice on this?

[Nostrus]

Hello,

If you have the opportunity to obtain legal assistance through your union, go there first. This will be a long process and you want to have someone with experience on your side.

[victorross]

It's traumatic that you have had such a bad experience regarding your medical treatment.

If there is something that your union can look into, then be with them, alternatively, there are many solicitors that can offer you a free and no-obligation consultation and can take your medical negligence claim on no win no fee basis.