Dallas McMillan's Blog

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued updated advice to surgeons that patients with a particular type of metal-on-metal hip replacement should be monitored annually for the life of the hip replacement.

This updates previous advice from April 2010 that patients with this type of hip replacement need only be monitored for a minimum of five years after their operation.

The updated advice is included in a new MHRA Medical Device Alert that has been issued to clinicians for the management of patients with these hip implants to minimise the risk of having to undergo further surgery to correct complications.

Dr Susanne Ludgate, Clinical Director of the MHRA, said:

“Clinical evidence shows that patients have a small risk of suffering complications from having metal-on-metal hip implants. These implants have in most cases completely transformed the lives of patients who in the past were subject to increasingly severe pain and progressive lack of mobility."

She went on to say that: “By monitoring patients every year, any complications will get picked up earlier and more complex surgery on the patient can be avoided.”

A specialist crane supplier has been fined £180,000 after a worker was killed when a large steel beam fell on him at an incinerator in Slough, Berkshire.

Colin Dickson, 38, of Motherwell, died when the temporary suspension points on a suspended beam he was under failed. The 1.4 tonne beam fell five metres onto Mr Dickson causing fatal injuries to his chest, and fractures to his legs and back.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Mr Dickson's employers J H Carruthers Ltd and one of its supervisors after an investigation into how the lifting operation failed.

The HSE investigation found that the lifting operation could have been successful if the whole process had been planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner from the outset.

HSE's Inspector Karen Morris said:

"This tragic incident shows the importance of carrying out a thorough assessment of hazards and properly managing all lifting operations. This was a complex and unusual lift which went drastically wrong due to a lack of competent planning and a failure to supervise and carry out the task safely. The risks involved in such lifting operations should not be underestimated.

"Health and safety law places stringent requirements on employers in these circumstances, for very good reason. This incident was entirely preventable and it should act as a reminder to others that standards need to be maintained to ensure the safety of workers at all times."

J H Carruthers Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The firm was fined £180,000 and ordered to pay costs of £74,000.