NHS Negligence and the aftermath

Life after bereavement
#1

I lost my Mum last year after she went into hospital with a broken arm and was left for three days without seeing a doctor. This led to sepsis which eventually killed her. I have constant guilt about this as I went to see her and knew something was wrong but when I questioned the ward sister, I was told she was just tired and would be fine. Unfortunately I chose to believe them and 2 days later she was dead.

There was an inquest and the hospital admitted liability but we only got a narrative verdict. Also, the doctor who filled in a incident report and dealt with my Mum on intensive care failed to show up at the inquest. I have never been told why he didnā€™t turn up and have even been warned by the hospital solicitor not to attempt to contact him. I have still so many questions, such as was anyone disciplined on the ward this happened on, but despite several letters and phone calls I have been told nothing. I have received an apology from the trust Chief Executive but nothing from anyone who actually caused this.

I know that nothing will bring her back but I feel I should be told this information. Surely someone must be held accountable and I have a right to know what they have done to prevent this happening again. Everyone I have contacted has fobbed me off in one way or another, the Chief Coroner who I contacted has flatly refused to even consider looking at the complaint I have regarding the inquest. I am the youngest of 4 children and I know I took this responsibility on because I think if I had done something she may still be here but I wonder how many times I can ask the same questions without getting anywhere. I would like to know if anyone has faced similar issues coming up against the system and whether I am just wasting my time in trying to get some answers. Thank you.

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#2

Forgive me for such a huge assumption as I may be wrong, but I strongly believe my Husband received treatment at the same hospital, on the same ward as your Mum. I have not got enough time to respond right now but would like to answer your post more fully later today if thatā€™s ok. I understand the heartache and devastation you feel as I know mistakes were made in my Husbandā€™s care that may or may not have led to me losing him. Iā€™ll drop you a line later. Kind regards.

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#3

Hello Scott - I have just sent a message to your mail box.

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#4

Hi Scott the NHS are wholly responsible.the NHS killed my darling girl .through misdiagnosis.which unfortunately led to a cancerous tumour been allowed to grow inside her for over a year.I have a no win no fee solicitor on her case.I certainly advise you to do the same.from what you say there as been a severe case of blind ignorance on your mums welfare.no amount of money will bring my darling back but I am not doing it for financial gain .I want justice for my girl I canā€™t help her now its the only thing I can do for her now.she as lost her life she was only forty six .I now consider my life to be over.I miss her so so terribly.hope I may have been of help to you .Annette.

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#5

I understand how you feel as my mum died in a similar situation. She had a spinal fracture. We were told that her injury didnā€™t require treatment but she would have to have 6 weeks on her back in hospital. Within a couple of weeks she had bed sores and a urine infection that was incorrectly treated and led to her death. The coroner did an autopsy because the cause of death was unclear. I also feel guilty that I should not have been fobbed off with excuses and I have so many unanswered questions. I was too weak mentally and physically to fight and walked away which again makes me feel guilty. We canā€™t go back in time so we have to learn to live with the guilt and accept that bad things happen to good people.

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#6

Thank you for sharing your story. I have a claim ongoing but I ageee with you that itā€™s not about money but unfortunately that is the only thing the NHS understands and the only way you can hurt them. Maybe if everybody could do that then something would change. Just a change in their attitude to bereaved families would be a start, a proper apology and some compassion would have made been the least Iā€™d have expected, instead Iā€™ve been made to feel like I should just accept their admission of liability and ask no further questions. I just canā€™t deal with the idea that the staff involved went into work the day after and carried on as though nothing had happened when Iā€™m left to feel devastated for the rest of my life.

#7

You shouldnā€™t feel guilty, but then again Iā€™ve had plenty of people telling me the same and it doesnā€™t change the way I feel. If you can find the strength go to an organisation such as the care quality commission or parliamentary health ombudsman. They will investigate a complaint and hopefully you may get some answers. I understand you may just want to leave it, Iā€™ve felt the same many times over the past year.

#8

Yes I know what you mean but the only one who admitted liability in our case was the junior doctor and we didnā€™t want to ruin his career. The other staff were never the same from week to week and they just wanted everyone to keep quiet. The food was put on her tray but no one fed her and they put the buzzer out of reach so she was left soiled all night. No wonder she got an infection. We treat dogs better than she was treated. But I blame myself for not speaking up at the time. It seems you have to make a complaint before you get proper care. They deserved better ā€¦ so you go ahead and shout it from the rooftops. The system needs to change.

#9

Hello, I have got the same problem.My husband was diagnosed 2014 with cancer of the mouth, surgery performed 2014 December, cancer removed and radiotherapy/ chemotherapy.The thing is my husband developed straight after his cancer surgery Lymphedema which was left untreated, apparently to rule out re accurence of cancer, so we both told by the nurse, key worker.The patient my husband was not to impressed neither was I .It was just left untreated the consequences were fatal.Cancer diagnosis on itā€™s own is a severe blow in the face, but let down by the health professionals waiting until an innocent man dies.They just left him to die, I am doing everything in my power to get this sorted out, many other issues are not answered.Because if I do let go, I will regret later on and betrayed my most loving husband in life who wanted to live.Is this a crime or a sin ??

#10

Well my partner/friend who died 16 months ago had his ā€œailmentā€ for 14 years with no treatment even though they had quote - ā€œnever seen what he had in this country beforeā€ they didnt care and he had no treatment was just shoved from pillar to post dr to dr and never taken in or any form of treatment - until he was so ill he was taken in and died two weeks later. I put in a complain and demanded an enquiry was told it would take ā€œ90ā€ days its taken 15 months which is ok I dont mind that - and at the end of January am getting the results of the inquiry-wish me luck. Too many people keep quiet =-DONT-one letter he had from his family dr surgery had 13 typing mistakes in it. He was promised an operation 4 years beforehand and after 10 years of me fighting for the funding to be put in place it was agreed then two weeks later someone pulled the plug on the funding which to me is illegal-Mike had hardly died he was still in the bed and the nurse said to me ā€œNever mind maybe youll find someone else like MIkeā€ When he died he had 55 pounds with him as I gave it to him-I never got that money I dont care about that his funeral and headstone cost me thousands-so I am not worried about 55 pounds just worried about some of the people they employ>

#11

Having seen these latest posts I felt I should give an update of what is happening. On Monday, it will be 2 years since my Mum dies/was killed in the hospital and the bitterness and upset is still as bad, if not worse than when it happened.

We decided to pursue a claim for clinical negligence which is still going on to this day. I appreciate that some will think this is just to get some money, of course that is part of the reason, but it is mainly as there is not a SINGLE person who has been disciplined or reprimanded or taken any responsibility for what they did. All I have encountered is a culture of silence and bureaucracy, designed to make you give up any action you want to take. They initially made a derisory offer, then when provided with evidence by 2 separate consultants that my Mum would have lived at least another 10-15 years as she was in such good health, they refused to increase it. Now, myself and my brother and sister have been asked to see a psychiatrist as the hospital want proof that we have been mentally affected by what happened to my Mum. Do they think we just got over it and carried on as if nothing happened?

The whole system stinks. No-one you contact has the slightest care of the impact that it has on bereaved families. There are so many barriers in place to get answers or responsibility that there are many times Iā€™ve wondered whether it is right to go for compensation, and I have heard many people say that the NHS already has no money and you shouldnā€™t do this, but if itā€™s the only way you can get them to stop doing this to people then surely it is worth it?

#12

Yes you should go for compensation if you think its warranted. Its the only way these people who shouldnā€™t be in the jobs will learn. I am NOT saying all the NHS is bad etc etc BUT for those who have encountered it its a disgrace and the more people put the pressure on the more they might train some of their staff properly -its getting more and more of negligence now and whilst there will always be SOME mistakes - not to the extent we are seeing it -put on the pressure and good luck I dont know if ill get any compensation or not but the day they pulled the plug AFTER the funding was put in place was illegal

#13

Hello, I am in the same situation, my husband died due negligence, since he passed away I am complaining, letters, emails etc to the Trust.Comes to solicitors, which is the right thing to do , depends what kind of a Solicitor and trusting as well. Itā€™s not about the compensation itā€™s about the justice my husband deserves.Even if the responsible doctor, nurse would just openly admit Candour/ like whistle blowing against their staff/ colleagues.Saying just sorry isnā€™t good enough.For a change, let them bite into the poison apple,instead blaming the patient and their families. I would if I was working as health professional, I could not carry on working.But every person is different.

#14

Scott - Hello. Itā€™s strange but Iā€™ve remembered you in recent times. My Husband was on your Mumā€™s ward at the same time. Months later my Husband returned to the same unit but in the ward opposite before sadly passing away. His care was not what he deserved and mistakes were made. I documented the mistakes, I canā€™t know if they made a difference, but itā€™s also the mistakes I donā€™t know about that wreck me on a daily basis some 15 months later. It still gnaws away at me that maybe I should pursued the matter. Part of me wasnā€™t up to it and part of me was petrified about finding something out that would and may still cause me immense distress. I can understand why you say you feel worse than at the beginning. I know because I do myself. I can understand what impact this has had on your grieving as my mental well-being has been affected by not being able to come to terms with things. You had the presence of mind and fortitude to start and pursue proceedings and it canā€™t be easy. There were some outstanding individuals that attended to my Husband on this Unit but I believe collectively they failed him. No-one is punishable because the punishable never really come to light and if that is how patients are treated at a unit that is supposed to be a leader in its field then it can happen anywhere. And sadly does by the number of cases you read about in the NHS. Youā€™ve fought for your Mum and no, itā€™s definitely not about the money. I admire you and hope the final push brings what is truly deserved, both to the NHS and yourself. Sending kindest regards and well wishes.

#15

No amount of money can compensate for the death of a love one by some deliberate mistakes. Mike had his problem for 14-15 years and it all over all the national newspapers and went on a tv medical show as what he had was so rare not seen in this country - so why didnt they even try and treat him when it was at the treatable stage? I have to travel all the way from further down from Portsmouth to aberdeen for the results travelling overnight with seven changes each way One Dr In England said he would do it on the NHS after 10 years of fighting for funding then TWO weeks after it was in in place and agreed someone pulled the plug on the whole operation (not the date the whole thing) and when Mike died the nurse said ā€œnever mind maybe youll find someone else like Mikeā€ whilst he was still just died on the bed. If I find out things that go beyond just mistakes it will be in the papers again because it needs to be exposed-I go end of January wish me luck!!!

#16

A week before my husband died, the nurse who knew everything better, decided ( not voluntarily decided) to refer my husband to Lymphedema specialist. Nurse holy walked out the consultation room, a few minutes later he came back and said to us ā€˜itā€™s been arranged for you.You would not think that, after 10 months and 5 days a week before my husband died, he was very keen so he kneeled himself to make a fake referral.The beginning as of my husband ā€˜s Lymphedema development, no respect and responsibility shown, and waited until my husband died fatally.Whoever decided that must be an proper inhuman bacterial

#17

Yes I feel for you a great deal. Mike was told he had gross Lymphodemia but FOUR specialists including one from Harley Street said it was elephantiasis -but they wouldnā€™t listen. A lot of drā€™s and nurses should not even be in the profession. There are so many mistakes in the reports and typing that there is probably several files for people with slight differences in the name spelling -hence so many mistakes. Mike had TWO big tumours in his leg when he died so why on earth werenā€™t they picked up on they dont grow over night. Hopefully if and when we do leave the EU the situation might improve -for various reasons.

#18

Reply to No

I hope you are going to bring them to heel over it all-because so many people keep quiet -this is why they get away with it all-I am sorry you lost your husband