So sorry for your loss. I am surprised they handed over the med records as I tried initially but unfortunately my surgery would not release them and I gave up in the end as the stress of pursuing had started to take its toll on my mental health.
Thank you for sharing and I hope and pray that you find the strength to get through this. Please know that we all here understand your pain as we are going through the same sad, painful and lonely journey.
Big hugs x
1 Like
@Angel1309 did they explain why they wouldn’t release them? The NHS website says:
information can only be withheld or redacted from the records if the AHRA permits it. Information can be withheld if:
- the deceased expressly indicated they did not want parts of their record to be disclosed
- the record, if disclosed, would be likely to cause serious harm to another person
- the record of the deceased refers to another individual (who is not a treating healthcare professional)
- the record contains information provided by the patient, or resulting from an examination or treatment, which you have reason to believe the patient would have felt particularly sensitive about and would not have expected to be disclosed.
My GP did refuse to give me his records even though they acknowledged my absolute right to have them but they sent them to the coroner who handed me a copy immediately. I am so sick of the way the nhs has covered this up. I’ve now been sent a copy of their Serious Incident investigation report and the lies in that plus the horrifying picture it paints of my husbands treatment sickened my heart then after 29 pages it concludes the treatment my husband received was appropriate. I am so angry they’ve invited me to have a frank and open face to face meeting to “ air my concerns” all I want to do is take a machine gun to them
1 Like
It’s up to you, but personally I’d be reluctant to have any communication that isn’t either written or takes place in the presence of a solicitor. I’m so sorry - it’s dreadful, I know. 
1 Like
Hello your story sounds similar to mine , I did get my Husbands notes and saw what his treatment should have looked like.It showed he should have seen respiratory service in Aug 2019, the referral wasnt done until January 2020, when they realise it hadnt happened, and even then referred him to someone who wasn’t familiar with his condition.My Husband suffered hugely because of this.
Like you they classed my Husbands care as good, I feel beyond disgusted by this.
I went to the face to face meeting which they cancelled twice ,both cancelled on the day they were due to take place. They made it very difficult to take support in, stating the room size was too small , they wanted to know exactly who was coming ,presumably so they can counter this with a solicitor.
None of the drs who I complained about came, I was told "drs are busy people “, I said " its a shame that they didnt look after my Husband then”. I think it is shameful that the drs in question didn’t attend, because the advocate said straight away that he couldn’t answer for them as they weren’t there to represent themselves . I can also understand your gun comment, but please be aware even if you raised your voice (which is understandable ) they will have you removed and you won’t be given another chance to speak. They go on entirely what is written in the notes , for example, several hours after my Husband passed a nurse came into the curtained cubicle and said "Frank can I do your obs,I havent been in for hours ". When I made my complaint this is one of the things I raised , I was then told I had made a mistake and it was a dr coming to register his passing. The nurse in question had come back to apologise and as there were three other family members there , we knew there was no mistake. I challenged this and said the answer they had given was inaccurate and dishonest at best. As this wasn’t in his notes they wouldn’t discuss it at the face to facemeeting, but I think it was very important as it reflected on the credibility of the trust.Good luck it took almost two years to get a face to face meeting, it is almost like they want to kick you when you are already on your knees. Try to stay strong and I hope you get treated better than I did, after this meeting my complaint went to the ombudsman and is still ongoing.The ombudsman have strict timeline, but agreed to take my case as the trust had taken so long to answer anything. The trust have been as obstructive as they can be , in June of this year my complaint will be 4 years old .
2 Likes
That’s harrowing and certainly sounds similar I’m suing them for negligence I’m in two minds about meeting them,right now I’m just an angry email. A couple of nhs workers have said I should see them to shock them into seeing how much devastation they’ve caused
1 Like
Yes it certainly is a harrowing process and I think it is total anger that has driven me on , and the fact that my Husband asked me to pursue it.
I personally felt it was needed for me to go to the face to face as I wanted answers, I still do.It doesn’t feel right that an advocate just sits there and says sorry for these faceless individuals.
I couldn’t sue them for negligence as you can pass away from heart failure anyway , so I couldn’t prove it .However the care my Husband received because of the consultant failing to follow up referrals meant my Husband suffered on a daily basis. It is this I want answers to, "Why didn’t you do your job? ", this faceless individual left the trust (how convenient) , the Ombudsman has managed to track him down, I am waiting for the findings now due mid May. I can feel your anger and your pain , I just want you to be aware that this will be a very long process and very difficult to take when you are grieving.
I will never give up, my Husband was only 65 and we had been together 36 years we have 2 children our second child is chronically ill ,and looking after her without my left hand man has totally broken me.I feel I have nothing else to lose.
1 Like
I feel your pain too. I’m so sorry my husband was 59 and we have no children I’m fuelled by rage but they are wearing me down but seeing this through is the only thing keeping me going
Bless you I know exactly what you mean , it is totally heartbreaking and very difficult to grieve for your lovely husband , when you need answers. Please try to rest as I know from experience this is totally exhausting , and takes over everything else.RIP to your Husband who was far to young to have been lost to you. Xo
1 Like
Thank you Ivy1 you’ve given me strength if I can do the same for you I will x
Bless you,will be here when you need me too
X
1 Like
@Burgled
No, but they posted ‘in progress’ on the status of my request. I kept chasing for weeks and months and the status never changed. After 3 months I posted my request to them again and mentioned about an article I had seen which said it should only take 45 days maximum for the records to be released, the surgery then said they had passed on my request to the admin department and that they could not confirm the admin department would release the records and the next thing I got was an email saying the case was completed and closed. At that stage I was totally stressed and traumatised so I gave up for the sake of my mental wellbeing.
Thank you so much for posting this message though - I really appreciate it and may take it further when I am in a better frame of mind.
Best wishes x
2 Likes
I can understand feeling too traumatised to pursue it. I started drafting the letter to request my dad’s notes, yesterday, and it made me feel worse, so I do empathise. 
2 Likes
That sounds horrendous, you must be mentally and physically exhausted. Take care x
1 Like
Both my Husbands gp and hospital notes were stored at another hospital within the trust, I hope this is helpful to you, also there is usually a final timeline used by the trust when you can access these records. I know it is very difficult to have to process all of this especially when you are grieving. Best wishes to you sending love and light x
1 Like
good Lord! that is ridiculous. sincere condolences.
1 Like
Since they’ve decided to cover it up the cover up is maybe worse than if they had some pre-existing illness to hang it on it’s undoubtably they killed him but they’re saying it was okay he did eventually go into cardiac arrest but that was because they drugged him with two drugs that must never been used together it’s a very weird business my solicitor says it’s highly unusual but the result is my life and his life are ruined
1 Like
Shocking at best , life is so cruel and we all suffer but it is worse when the nhs who we trust let our loved ones down. When they then lie it makes things so much harder and it stops the grieving process , as it is now yet another thing to think about.Stay strong Precious xx
2 Likes
Thank you 