Clinical negligence when private patient

[Groundhog]

Hi I’m fairly new to the forum and feel very conflicted. Long story short I had life changing surgical complications 6 years ago. I never complained at the time as I was told I would heal or could be fixed . When he tried to fix me with more surgery, that also went wrong nearly killing , I had sepsis , respiratory failure and spent 6 months in hospital being vein fed. Complications done get much worse than this. I then suffered severe psychiatric problems such as ptsd and severe anxiety. I never pursued legal advice as I was just too unstable and genuinely believed I’d get better. 6 years on I’m still not recovered and have been told it’s safer to live with this than risk more surgery. I have 2 stoma bags. There is no disease so I’m not on any treatment, this has been caused by surgery.
im out of time for clinical negligence but I’ve been told that as I was private the time limit is 6 years and is more a breach of contract situation as obviously I never signed up for this and strongly feel a more robus risk/benefit assessment should have been undertaken before the surgery was carried out. I’d had a difficult surgical history and the surgeons had been told a further operation would make things much worse but these surgeons were and are top of their tree. The work for NHS and private.
I was onky private as I was in bupa as part of my job .
it seems there is no recourse here .
can anyone hel p please

[Scot22]

I wish I could help. So sorry to hear of your terrible experiences. No one can imagine how much you have suffered.
This is beyond what a forum can really help with. More details are required, not our business.
I suggest contacting patient groups for support. Can you get a solicitor to act pro bono, free for the common good ? Consider looking at a no win no fee firm, but be careful.
Again I wish I was qualified to help. What happened is dreadful and I pray you have better health.

[Groundhog]

Thank you for your considerate reply. It has been horrendous and will never be over, that’s the problem if I’d recovered I’d be so grateful but I haven’t and every year seems to bring new problems. This is a rare catastrophic complication and I feel I’ve been ‘swept under the carpet’., after all no surgeon would want to admit to this. On saying that I had a difficult surgical history so it may not be negligence but I just don’t know. The last solicitor I spoke to said I’d have to pay £15k to get it to court . My insurance company, whom I contacted to see if they will help with legal fees, said it’s 6 years if you were private but no one else has ever mentioned that. I just wish I could get a definitive answer from a trusted source. I’m not sure how to go about finding a solicitor who would act pro Bono, I feel quite invisible if I’m honest.
id share as much detail as you want of I could get some reliable advice.
thanks again

[echat11]

Hi Groundhog

Contact the Patients Association see if they can advise, email might be best - https://www.patients-association.org.uk/

[Scot22]

Excellent suggestion. Think I'll save that, never know who might need it. Hopefully no-one but.....

[Scot22]

Had a good look. Joined up, it's free. Definitely a source of help, recommend everyone has a look.

[echat11]

Had a good look. Joined up, it's free. Definitely a source of help, recommend everyone has a look.

That's cool Scott22.