Case in focus: Claim for psychiatric injury caused by hospital misinformation - Farrell v Avon Health Authority

摘要

THE FACTS OFnFARRELL1nAfter one liaison in May 1991 thenClaimant discovered that he was to benthe father of a child. On 4 Februaryn1992 he was told that he had a sonnwho had been born prematurely andnwas in the special baby care unit atnSouthmead Hospital in Bristol.nThe Claimant left the pub innwhich he was drinking and was drivennby a friend to the hospital. On arrivalnhe identified himself and was shownninto a small room with a crib. Twonnurses came in. The Claimant askednwhether the baby was all right. Onennurse replied:n‘Oh, you don’t know. [the baby] diednabout an hour ago.’nHe was asked whether he would likento see the baby. He said he would.nThe baby was brought into the roomnand placed in a crib. The Claimantnpicked up the baby, cuddled it andncried over it.nTwenty minutes or so passed. Thennurses returned. They told him thatnthere had been a mistake and that thenbaby he was holding was not his andnthat his baby was alive.nThe Claimant visited his son. Henstayed only 5 minutes and then wentnout to the car and was sick. ThenClaimant went on to develop posttraumaticnstress disorder.