Boy wins £5 million in medical negligence compensation

A boy from Hertfordshire has won £5 million in medical negligence compensation in an out of court settlement.

Robbie Crane - now 12 – was left with brain damage following heart surgery at Harefield Hospital when he was a baby.

Mr Crane's brain was starved of oxygen during post-op treatment, which has left him with cerebral palsy.

The money will pay for the support and care that Mr Crane will need for the rest of his life.

In 1999 a government independent enquiry was launched into paediatric cardiac care at Harefield Hospital, following further allegations of dissatisfaction with care and medical negligence.

In the inquiry, poor communication between doctors and families, and a lack of resources were blamed for the dissatisfaction with care among parents of children with cardiac conditions.

It was believed that doctors offered only a biased view of the treatment options for children with heart problems associated with Down’s syndrome.

Posted by Phil Hammond