Negligence contributed to death at hospital
29/10/2009
Leading firm of solicitors Irwin Mitchell has called on the NHS to ensure that lessons are learnt after a coroner ruled that a man who died at Leicester General Hospital had his condition made worse by an inadequate level of care.
George Kyriacou Angelides died of bronchopneumonia, a lung disease, aged 70 on the 2nd April 2007. Mr. Angelides also suffered from Guillain-Barre syndrome, pressure sores, a colon infection caused by bacteria and a form of cancer known as B-cell lymphoma. All of these conditions contributed to his death.
However, the coroner assigned to the case has advised that although natural causes were the cause of death, Mr. Angelides’s condition was aggravated by medical negligence during his hospital stay. On reviewing the documentation from his hospital stay, care was found to be inadequate, incomplete or at some times missing completely.
The coroner has written to the NHS trust at the University Hospitals Leicester to demand action is taken so that the mistake is not repeated.
George’s daughter, Stella Baxter, said: “We are extremely saddened by George’s death. He was admitted into hospital with a simple kidney stone and some 16 months later died in hospital under such tragic circumstances.
“If the right treatment is administered for Guillain-Barre Syndrome most patients make a full recovery. Unfortunately George did not receive this treatment. He was a great man, a wonderful father and grandfather and a devoted husband. Shortly before his death George successfully registered his charity the George Angelides Trust to raise awareness and offer direct assistance to adults and children who may experience the devastating physical and mental effects of Guillain-Barre.”
Ally Taft, an expert in medical negligence claims at Irwin Mitchell, is representing the family and said: “The level of care given to Mr. Angelides was inadequate considering his condition, and it is vital that the hospital learns from these mistakes.
“During the latter part of his life Mr. Angelides was completely dependent on the hospital for care. Despite this he suffered from a number of pressure sores during his time at the hospital, which should have been avoidable with appropriate nursing care.
“The documentation on Mr. Angelides condition and symptoms was incomplete, inaccurate, and did not identify his needs from the outset and for the duration of his time in hospital. This is simply unacceptable given the severity of his condition.
“Patients’ safety has to be the top priority for the NHS and it is absolutely paramount that the hospital improves its level of care and learns from this tragic case. While the inquest provides some answers over Mr. Angelides’ death, it will not ease the family’s pain and we are keen to ensure that no-one has to suffer as they have.”
Before his death, a trust was set up called The George Angelides Trust, in order to raise awareness of the devastating effects of Guillain-Barre. Guillain-Barre is a rare neurological disease which causes both mental and physical effects, causing varying degrees of paralysis and can affect both adults and children. The trust offers information and assistance to those affected by this disease. For more information visit http://www.georgeangelidestrust.co.uk/
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