Pulmonary embolism or ‘PE’ is a life-threatening condition which requires urgent treatment to prevent significant harm or death. PE occurs when a blood clot or other type of embolus blocks an artery in the lung, reducing its blood flow and oxygen supply. If PE is diagnosed and treated early, the patient should make a full recovery. Delay or failure to recognise or suspect that a patient has PE and provide urgent treatment can result in damage to their heart or lungs, or cause their death.
In 2019, the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) identified delays in treatment for PE in nearly 40% of patients, and delays in starting anticoagulation medication in nearly 20% of the cases that it reviewed.
In 2021, MBRRACE-UK’s report on maternal deaths from 2017 to 2019 found that 31 women died from pulmonary embolism, with blood clots being the fourth most common cause of death of women during or soon after pregnancy. MBRRACE-UK’s assessors found that risk assessment for blood clots often failed to follow national guidance. Nearly two thirds of the women who died from blood clots might have had a different outcome with better care.
In 2022, HSIB reported that patients’ safety was being put at risk by emergency department (A&E) errors causing delays in diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary embolism.
If a patient suffers serious or fatal injury as a result of negligent failure to prevent, diagnose or treat pulmonary embolism, they or their bereaved family may be entitled to compensation.