A 51-year-old dies from sepsis, as he was not given antibiotics for five days.
As reported by the Daily Mail Online, on 27th July 2018, Mr Smith was admitted to the Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, West Midlands with an excruciating pain in his leg.
The 51-year-old displayed classic signs of sepsis, such as raised heart rate and high temperature, and should have been given antibiotics immediately.
Despite the symptoms, the assessment of his care reveals that the staff of the hospital failed to administer him the drug on seven separate occasions.
Notes from the first night of his stay revealed that the staff at the hospital gave him painkillers, saying that antibiotics will only be given should his condition deteriorate.
Five days later, on 2 August 2018, Mr Smith went into multi-organ failure and only then was the much-needed drug administered.
He spent the next three months in the intensive care.
Mr Smith was discharged in October 2018. Unfortunately, he did not make a full recovery and was back to the hospital two weeks later.
He passed away on 1st November 2018.
The patient’s eventual diagnosis shown he suffered from osteomyelitis, which is an infection of the bone. It is a rare, but serious condition which triggered sepsis.
Sepsis is a serious complication which occurs from an infection. It causes injury to the body’s tissues and organs. Without quick treatment, it can lead to multiple organ failure and death.
The reports of the patient’s care clearly portray the lacklustre record keeping, lack of communication and inability to follow up on his deteriorating condition.
Mrs Smith, his widow, works as a data collector in the same hospital he was treated, has expressed how devastating his death was to her. She wished the staff of the hospital took greater care in the treatment of her husband, whilst he suffered the worst pain in his life.
Diane Wake of Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust has expressed her condolences to Mr Smith’s family and assures that the sepsis care has improved at the Russells Hall Hospital, with falling numbers of death from four years prior till December 2018.
Unfortunately, the many cases of sepsis we come across prove that the NHS has been struggling with quick diagnosis and therefore treatment of the condition. Despite claiming it has become one of their priorities for the last three years, people still die unnecessarily from the lack of treatment.
As stated on the NHS website, there are still around 250,000 cases of sepsis a year in the UK. Out of those 250,000, at least 46,000 people die each year.
We must question if the focus on the condition and its care has increased, then why are the number of deaths still so high for a treatable disease? And how many of those people live, but are left with lasting damage from the delayed or poor treatment?
If you have suffered from sepsis and believe a mistake has been made during your diagnosis or treatment, you may be eligible to make a Medical Negligence claim. We could help you receive the compensation you deserve.
Fill out a claim form here or call our team on 0151 306 3694 to discuss your circumstances.