Schoolboy Wins Settlement for Medical Failings

A young boy who faces a lifetime of painful surgery and physiotherapy after NHS treatment failures has won an out of court settlement in compensation.

Hayden Aspin was born in 1998 with both hips out of alignment, which meant that they could easily be dislocated. The treatments he was given to stabilise his hip joints involved painful procedures, including being fitted with a full-body splint. His parents had concerns over his treatment, however, and pressed for more information. An ultrasound scan subsequently showed that Hayden’s hips were being held in a dislocated position.

Even after further surgery, Hayden has been left with a limp, as one of his legs is shorter than the other. He is scheduled for surgery next year, to lengthen his leg, and will require a double hip operation in order to finally correct the problem when he stops growing.

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust admitted some failings in Hayden’s treatment. Because he did not receive the correct treatment when he was younger, vital time has been lost when he could have been living a normal life.

Although an out of court settlement has been agreed, the exact amount of the damages has not yet been fixed. When Hayden reaches skeletal maturity, in about five years’ time, it will be possible to assess more clearly how much the injury has affected him. At that time, the final settlement amount will be determined.