Organ damage mistaken for bug by doctors
Posted: 29th May 2014
Posted in: Medical Negligence NHS Claims
A father-of-six nearly died after doctors repeatedly misdiagnosed his bowel damage for a stomach bug. Stuart Pashley, from Clay Cross, Derbyshire, was denied treatment by NHS staff on multiple occasions, as doctors continued to diagnose him with a common stomach bug. One doctor actually told Mr Pashley not to go to hospital as “sickness bugs can close hospital wards and kill people”.
47-year-old Mr Pashley was in “excruciating pain” but was told by medical staff to take painkillers. The pain began on 7th March when he awoke in the middle of the night with abdominal pain, sickness and diarrhoea. After phoning NHS 111, Mr Pashley had to wait for three days before a doctor visited him from the Clay Cross Medical Centre. When painkillers did not help with the pain, his wife phoned 999. The 999 call-handler refused to send an ambulance to Mr Pashley as his condition was “not life-threatening”.
Immediate surgery
On 12th March, a different GP looked at Mr Pashley. The doctor sent him directly to hospital in an ambulance where he underwent immediate bowel surgery. Mr Pashley’s bowel had burst and the operation meant removing part of his bowel. He was put into a medically induced coma for two days after the surgery to speed-up recovery. It was heard that had he awaited surgery for another two days, he would have died.
NHS England said in a statement: “We will be asking the practice to provide us with a copy of their formal response and, if appropriate, any performance concerns will be addressed in line with policy and procedures.”
If you have been affected by a medical misdiagnosis, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us.
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