Paralysed pensioner to have £3 million payout slashed

Christine Reaney, aged 68, developed the sores during extended stays at North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary in Stoke, Cannock Chase Hospital and Stafford Hospital in 2008 and 2009.

She had been awarded the hefty sum by the High Court last year after Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and University Staffordshire NHS Trust admitted liability.

But both bodies contested the amount of compensation and yesterday the Court of Appeal ruled that the High Court had been too generous.

Lord Dyson concluded the NHS trusts had been made to pay for disabilities it did not cause.

As a result it was sent back to Mr Justice Foskett, who presided over the High Court case, to reassess the damages payout - which looks likely to be substantially reduced.

In 2008 Mrs Reaney was struck down by myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord, which would have left her paralysed in any event, the Court of Appeal heard.

But during her various hospital stays she developed pressure sores which got progressively worse because health staff did not carry out the proper procedures to manage them properly.

As a result they infected the pensioner's bone marrow, shortened her leg muscle tissues and caused a dislocation of her hip leaving her bed-bound.

The court was told that had it not have been for the sores Mrs Reaney would have been able to live a 'largely independent life' with only a few hours of care each week.

Although they have now cleared up they have left her skin severely scarred and vulnerable so that she has to be turned regularly in her bed requiring substantially amounts of professional care.