Families Demand Answers After Hospital Infection Deaths
01/12/2010
The families of four patients who died after contracting fatal infections at a Nottingham hospital have criticised the NHS trust responsible, claiming that the hospital has failed to answer their questions.
A total of eleven patients out of 28 patients who underwent heart valve transplants at state-of-the-art Trent Cardiac Centre were diagnosed with endocardiatis between December 2008 and July 2009. Five victims went on to suffer heart failure and died.
Despite all eleven victims being operated on by the same surgeon and suffering the same infection, the hospital claims it could not have been expected to notice that anything was wrong until May 2009, five months after the first exposure.
A report from Coroner Dr Chapman, of Nottingham later accused the hospital of “multiple failures in communication”.
The families have now approached specialist hospital infection solicitors at Irwin Mitchell to help them get the answers that the hospital is failing to provide regarding their loved ones and to ensure that lessons are learnt.
Ian Christian from Irwin Mitchell, who is helping the families of Albert Rigley, 62, Michael Smithers, 67, Alan Daniels, 73, and 82-year-old Dennis Mills, supported the Coroner’s comments that alarm bells should have been ringing as early as January 2009.
He said: “The families of those who died are understandably devastated and increasingly frustrated by the hospital’s ongoing refusal to commit to an explanation of how their loved ones came to be infected.
“The widows and children of these men have waited patiently for this inquest so that they could finally understand what happened, and look to move on with their lives, safe in the knowledge that lessons have been learnt.
“But, despite the hospitals own report outlining serious failings in the way they reacted to, and communicated the crisis, they refuse to provide transparency to the public, who ultimately rely on their services, as to what happened.”
Christian added that without a clear understanding of what went wrong, and why, it is impossible to know if lessons have been learnt and future suffering prevented.
Safety at the Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, which is responsible for the Trent Cardiac Centre, was put under the spotlight once again when the latest Dr Foster findings reported a high number of so-called ‘adverse events’ at the Trust, including incidents in which a patient’s safety was found to be compromised.
Christian added: “Patients place their trust in the NHS and it is entirely reasonable to expect that an organisation such as the Trent Cardiac Centre would have sufficiently effective systems in place to detect patterns of infection. It is frightening that patient safety has been compromised to the extent that has been demonstrated in this case.
“It is now essential that the Trust acts on the recommendations made here today by the Coroner and finally accepts responsibility for the suffering and heartache this ordeal has caused the victims and their loved ones.
“Five men died, and another six patients have suffered following exposure to infection and they deserve answers. I would urge the hospital to deliver a further public report in 12 months time to demonstrate the changes they have implemented, and lessons they have learnt, in order to improve patient safety.”
Denise Edwards, who lost her father Denis Mills as a result of the infection said: “My mother watched my father die in agony. He suffered beyond belief and she is now is now left to struggle on her own. I have lost a loving father and his grandchildren have been deprived of their grandfather. More should have been done to prevent this tragedy.”
The Widow of Albert Eric Rigley, Gillian said: “He was only 62 when he died. If the Trust had picked up the outbreak sooner then they could have treated him, and he would be here with me now. I am so angry at how this whole business has been handled by the Trust and that I’m the one left still trying to find answers.”
If you or a member of your family have been affected by an infection or bug picked up in hospital, please visit our medical negligence section.
Back to news