Health and Social Work – Claiming Employer Negligence
If you have been injured working in the health & social work sector, and employer negligence is to blame, contact our team today. We can help you with a free claim assessment, offered at no-obligation, and a no win, no fee* service. Call today on 08082391859^ to speak to an expert.
Health & Social Work in the UK — Health & Safety
The health and social work/care sector employ a massive 13% of the working population of the whole UK. Yet it is responsible for some of the highest rates of industrial disease for workers in comparison to all sectors across the country. Health and social care employment is as common in urban areas like Greater London, in cities with a large medical research presence, like Edinburgh, as it is in rural populations, like the South West and Yorkshire and the Humber. The sector is absolutely, unequivocally essential in maintaining the lives of the injured and vulnerable. It is one of the crowning jewels for citizens of the UK and is a precious commodity that not even all first-world countries have access to.
It should come as a surprise that the brave, tireless medical professionals and caregivers aren’t looked after as well as they ought to be — but it isn’t. There is an estimated annual average of 187,000 health care and social workers inflicted with some form of industrial disease and 74,000 employees injured by accidents. Many cases are due to stress, anxiety and depression, and even acts of violence in the workplace, often from difficult patients. We aim to make sure negligent employers are penalised for putting you in harm’s way, especially if poor management, oversight, or complacency has cost you your health.
Claim compensation for an injury or illness from working in health and social care with our solicitors.
Regardless of what health or social work position you have — or how you’ve suffered — speak to our team if the problem is a result of your employer or workplace. We can help you build a case for compensation on a no win, no fee* basis. Our team is available 24/7 on 08082391859^ and will give you a free claim assessment and guide you through your claim with expert guidance.
What types of role are included in the human health and social work sector?
With close to a sixth of the UK’s working population employed, staff in health and social care have a myriad of jobs available to them. In healthcare, the division includes hospital and medical staff, dentists, therapists, and health consultants. Residential care home workers, care nurses and staff in retirement homes. Nurses who make home visits to the elderly or physically/mentally handicapped, as well as social services workers. All of them come under this sector, and each one of them has a number of serious workplace risks to their selves and their patients.
What industrial illnesses are common in human health and social work?
Rates of ill-health in health and social workers are some of the highest across all industries and are responsible for 3.5 million working days lost. This probably isn’t shocking, given the nature of the occupation, but what’s worrying is how these rates haven’t really changed since the turn of the millennia. It calls into question the practices of the industry — how a sector of workers solely concerned with the health and wellness of others can’t seem to get the health of its own employees right.
In many respects, the nature of health and social work is more concerned with people over profit — however, nursing and residential care are huge industries that make serious money. This makes the fact that carers often working irregular and long hours with very little personal free time and for often lower than average salaries all the more problematic. The numbers of people with poor mental health in the sector have also been climbing in recent years.
There are clear links to working hours and role responsibility effecting personal mental health and social life. This is quite similar here to education — which really puts the fact that 49% of the 187,000 cases of workers in health and social care suffering from ill-health are due to stress, anxiety and depression, into perspective. This sector could be doing a lot more to improve the mental health of workers, especially since it is generally just accepted as something that comes with the territory.
A further 32% of these cases of ill-health are in musculoskeletal disorders. The general movement and lifting of things is strenuous enough; moving people of all shapes and sizes on a regular basis makes this even harder, and thus more likely to result in back, limb, and neck pain. The rate of these conditions affecting health and social workers are some of, if not, the worst of all UK industries. An estimated 60,000 people annually suffer from muscle, skeletal or joint problems as a resulted of their employment. These numbers have fortunately been declining in recent years, with more machine assistance, education, and automation present in the lifting and carrying of people.
Medical staff, such as doctors and nurses, are also reported to have rates of contact dermatitis, some four times higher than all other UK sectors. For the health and social work sector as a whole, that rate is twice as high. This particular type of eczema is caused by irritants that directly damage the skin — which is curious given the amount of PPE doctors and nursing staff have to wear. Often, overuse of antiseptics and antibacterial products can trigger it, as well as some solvents and disinfectants. The condition usually doesn’t clear up unless the causative agent is avoided, which can be tricky where sterile environments are so essential in mitigating infection in patients.
If your work in health or social care has caused you to become unwell, and you feel like your employer hasn’t done their duty in helping you, speak to our team of employment negligence specialists. We can help you identify if poor management or workplace practices has had a detrimental effect on your health and if there is a case to seek compensation from them. We’re available on 08082391859^ and can evaluate your claim free of charge, before proceeding on a no win, no fee* basis.
In health or social work, what are the most common accidents causing in injury?
Around 1.8% of employees in health and social care have experienced an injury due to their workplace. This might seem like a small percentage, but it equates to 74,000 workers yearly, enough to pack out a large summer music festival. It’s estimated that just under a third of these resulted in an absence of over 7 days, which for lower paid positions can be extremely difficult financially for earners. Of those reported to RIDDOR, which is historically underreported, 79% resulted in over 7 days lost to the injury. The top causes of injury in health and social work are:
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Acts of violent assault
- Lifting, handling or carrying accidents
- Moving, falling or flying objects — it is also worth noting this category includes moving hand tools, such as surgical equipment.
- Falls from heights
- Striking against something fixed or stationary
- Moving vehicles
- Exposure to harmful substances
- Contact with machinery
- Injured by an animal
If you’ve been injured through no fault of your own because your working environment is unsafe or due to poor management of hazards — speak to our team. We can help you claim negligence compensation on a no win, no fee* basis against your employer. Call us today on 08082391859^
Do employees in healthcare and social work experience any fatalities?
Unfortunately, there is an average of one worker fatality each year in health or social care. There were fatal injuries to 23 members of the public in 2018/19 — this doesn’t include deaths from natural causes, existing conditions or patients. The profession is dangerous enough for staff, but they are also responsible for the health and safety of the public also.
We can help loved ones claim compensation for the loss of life, or if that person has become seriously ill or disabled. We aim to seek damages to help support families during such horrid events to help ease the burden. Contact us on 08082391859^ for friendly and empathetic guidance.
What advantages do I have if I claim for negligence compensation with Workplace Injury Claims?
- We have a team of technical qualifiers who can assess your claim for free. If they feel you have a case, we bring your claim to one of our panel solicitors — that way you don’t run up any legal fees by just asking questions.
- Our telephony team is open 24hrs a day, but you can leave them a message with our contact form, and they’ll get back to you within a few working days.
- Our panel of employer liability solicitors can work on a no win, no fee* basis, meaning again, you’re not drumming up expensive legal fees by claiming for your personal injury or illness.
- Our team covers the whole of the UK, and you’ll be assigned to a panel solicitor depending on if you’re in England and Wales, or Scotland.
- We have helped many people claim compensation who have worked in human health and social care.
- We can also help with rehabilitation; arranging physio or, in harsher situations, surgery and medical treatment. Furthermore, we offer a whole accident management package.
- We have a UK call centre, based in Manchester, and come from all walks of life.
- We fight for the maximum compensation for you, because ultimately your job is to make the company successful, and they should at least ensure your safety in exchange.
- When we calculate your claim amount, we factor in loss of earnings, general expenses and any ongoing costs incurred, so that you get the highest level of compensation due to you.
- We’re friendly, empathetic and here to help you however we can.
Get in touch with our employer negligence solicitors** today to find out if and how much compensation you could claim.
If you’ve suffered because of work in health and social care and your employer is at fault, call our helpline today on 08082391859^ to start your claim — we’re here to help.
