I have a friend - who is 93 years old - in Leighton Hospital. When
he was first in, we (a group of us who are friends - he has no
proper relatives), objected because, with a broke femur, he was
constantly being shuffled to the back of the emergency list - 'in
case someone might have a car accident because of the icy weather'.
In the end we stated that we were aware that they were waiting until
he developed pneumonia, when they would probably refuse to operate
on him anyway - and then he would die. So then he got his operation,
because a few of us were complaining - and showing that we would
continue.
Following his operation, he could not eat the food.
Being a lifelong vegetarian, he found what was presented, to be
inedible. We complained that he was turning his face to the wall. He
existed on bananas for the first week - which were brought in by
concerned friends. When I asked the staff nurse whether he was seen
to be eating at all - because was aware that he was not eating - I
also asked whether anyone had sat with him to ensure that he was
eating. I was told that "he has the use of his hands".
Curiously, I do not feel that this is a good attitude - in a nurse..
especially to a man of 93 years old, who - refusing pain relief -
has just had a major operation..
It took far too long - over a week - to get a dietician to see him.
An elderly patient forced to lie next to a dead body
for five hours in Leighton Hospital claims he would 'rather die' than go back
there. Fred Green has slammed the Crewe hospital over the
'distressing treatment' he suffered during his five-day stay. The hospital came under fire last month from the
Healthcare Commission about the way it treated elderly patients. It found
serious lapses in the care of the elderly found lying in their own mess, nurses
ignoring calls for help and of drug rounds not carried out on time with tablets
left out of reach of patients. Watchdogs were appalled at the lack of attention by
staff which they said 'adversely affected the dignity, morale and health' of old
people in their care. Measures are in place to improve standards of care -
but Mr Green, of Northwich, says a lot more needs to be done. The 75-year-old
told the Chronicle the worst part was when a patient in the bed next to him died
and was left there for five hours.
Hospital criticised over death
Leighton Hospital, in Crewe The hospital trust spokesman said
lessons had been learnt A hospital in Crewe has been criticised over
mistakes made during an operation which led to the death of a
patient.
The Health Service Ombudsman, Ann Abraham, upheld a complaint
against Leighton Hospital by the family of a man who has not been
named. The man suffered from Parkinson's disease and could not
speak. He was admitted to the hospital because of problems he had
eating but the next day he died.
Internal bleeding
Doctors had put a feeding tube into his bowel, using a local
anaesthetic, but the surgeon put it in the wrong place, and the man
developed internal bleeding and peritonitis. The Health Service
Ombudsman criticised the Mid Cheshire NHS Trust which runs the
hospital. The ombudsman found doctors had broken General Medical
Council guidelines on communicating with the patient and said the
risks were not explained properly. She also said the wrong type of
anaesthetic was used and the operation was performed in such a way
that death was inevitable.
Lessons learnt
The Chief Executive of the Mid Cheshire Hospital Trust Simon Yates
said lessons had been learnt.
"What we have to do is make sure that whenever mistakes are made we
can learn from them," he said.
"We should not drive mistakes underground by always go out looking
for somebody's head.
"We are continually trying to set up systems where clinical staff
are open if things go wrong."
Mr M was admitted to Leighton Hospital, Crewe, because of
recurrent iron deficiency anaemia and feeding difficulties. He
suffered from advanced Parkinson’s disease and was unable to speak.
One week after being admitted, a consultant physician made an
unsuccessful attempt to insert a feeding tube endoscopically and
referred Mr M on to a surgical registrar to have the tube inserted
surgically into his small bowel. The registrar considered that, due
to Mr M’s general ill health and the fact he had a rigid curvature
of the spine, the procedure should be performed under local rather
than general anaesthesia. The disadvantage of local anaesthesia was
that it did not offer any relaxation of abdominal musculature and
the rigid muscles could not be retracted for an optimum view. The
registrar attempted to perform the procedure. However, he found
difficulty in distinguishing between the large and small bowel,
which he considered lacked the normal characteristics, and
erroneously placed the feeding tube into the large bowel.
From the archive, first published
Thursday 16th Feb 2006.
A CREWE and Nantwich pensioners' group has said that elderly
people are 'scared stiff' of going into Leighton Hospital following
attacks on the centre's quality of care.
From the archive, first published
Thursday 9th Feb 2006.
CASH-strapped Leighton Hospital and Victoria Infirmary is facing
another financial headache as it contends with a series of claims
for medical negligence.
The Guardian has already revealed how Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS
Trust is facing a £5.7 million deficit this year and plans to cut
the number of beds, introduce a recruitment freeze and axe managers.
Now a new report, which went before the board on Monday, reveals
the trust could pay out more than £300,000 in medical negligence
claims from South and Mid Cheshire patients.
The most serious case involves a patient who alleges there was a
three-year delay in him being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma.He is claiming damages of £150,000 and the costs for both
sides could run to another £30,000, hospital bosses have been told.
One of the major claims - for £25,000 damages - is by a patient
who says the hospital failed to diagnose a heart aneurysm.
Lawyers representing the family of another Leighton patient are
claiming £20,000 damages, alleging the hospital failed to monitor a
patient for vascular disease.They claim the patient developed
septicaemia and died.
Other claims include an allegation that staff in the obstetrics
department failed to notice 'signs of foetal distress' with a woman
patient which led to a baby being stillborn
Further claims by medical staff, involved in a variety of
industrial accidents, from being struck by a falling drip stand to a
back injury sustained while handling a 10-litre milk carton,
totalling at least £17,000, have also been lodged with the trust.
From the archive, first published
Wednesday 8th Feb 2006.
AN operation to cure lung congestion may have contributed to the
death of a retired Hartford accountant, an inquest has heard.
Former ICI employee Peter Gordon Crutchley, of Eaglesfield, died
at Leighton Hospital on April 28, 2004 after being admitted with a
urinary tract infection 10 days earlier.
But the inquest at Crewe Magistrates' Court on Friday heard the
post mortem examination carried out on the 74-year-old determined
the cause of death as adult respiratory distress syndrome, which may
have been related to an earlier operation to combat a build-up of
fluid in the pleura.
From the archive, first published
Thursday 12th Jan 2006.
A LEIGHTON Hospital doctor will not be stripped of her right to
practise following claims she botched the care of a baby in
childbirth.
Dr Lynda Coughlin, of Wood Sorrel Way, Lowton, near Warrington,
appeared before the General Medical Council (GMC) fitness to
practise panel after a mother's child was delivered stillborn in
January 2004.
The doctor admitted 'inadequate and inappropriate' medical care
for the woman, but denied serious professional misconduct.
Medical watchdogs agreed that the incident was the result of a
single mistake for which Dr Coughlin demonstrated 'immediate insight
and remorse'.
The GMC panel judged that her failings amounted to misconduct but
said that her fitness to practise was not impaired.
But Dr Coughlin, a specialist registrar in obstetrics at
Leighton, may still receive a warning.
From the archive, first published Friday
5th Aug 2005.
A WOMAN in advanced labour had to endure a 17-mile journey to
Macclesfield after Leighton Hospital in Crewe turned her away
because its maternity unit was shut.
From the Guardian Series, first
published Wednesday 29th Jun 2005.
CASES of superbug MRSA have risen at mid Cheshire hospitals -
despite a nationwide decline of more than six per cent.
The latest Department of Health figures show the national
infection rate is currently at its lowest recorded level, yet the
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust - responsible for the Victoria
Infirmary, Northwich, and Crewe's Leighton Hospital - has seen a
rise from 31 cases per 1,000 bed-days in 2003-04 to 37 incidents for
2004-05."
From the Guardian Series, first
published Thursday 7th Apr 2005.
A NEW out-of-hours block has this week been opened at Leighton
Hospital as part of measures to improve the handling of emergency
patients.
Health bosses in charge of the Crewe hospital were summoned to
London by the Department of Health after the A&E department failed
to meet government targets for treating patients.
From the Guardian Series, first
published Wednesday 16th Mar 2005.
NEW figures released show that infection rates of the MRSA 'superbug'
have risen at Leighton Hospital - despite a nationwide fall to a
four-year low.
Government statistics have revealed that the number of patients
at the Mid Cheshire Hospital Trusts' hospital suffering from MRSA
has made it into the top 10 worst in the country.
The number of reported incidents has risen from 14 in the six
months from April to September 2003, to 20 cases in the same period
last year.
Mandy Donald, director of service development at Leighton
Hospital, defended the hospital's performance. She said: "We are
continuing to work hard in all areas related to MRSA. There are
numerous examples throughout the hospital of continued action.
Coroner slams hospital after woman dies
Jul 18 2007
AN INQUEST has criticised communications at Leighton Hospital after
a gravely ill Crewe woman's medical notes were left blank for up to
five days before she died.
Elizabeth Dodd, 67, died on February 9 after an operation to remove
gall stones caused a tear in the lining of her bowel.
Mrs Dodd, of Rolls Avenue, underwent two further operations in order
to correct the problem, but never recovered.
At an inquest on Thursday, it emerged because Mrs Dodd's medical
notes had not been filled in for a period of five days, it appeared
she had not been examined for nearly a week.
The inquest, before Cheshire deputy assistant coroner Robert
Wilson-Hunter, heard evidence from Mrs Dodd's daughter Julie Leach
who spoke of the family's anger at her treatment.
'I'm livid, the whole family is. When
they talk about care, we hardly saw anyone until she went to the
high dependency unit.' She added it was only once her mother was
moved to the intensive care unit the family felt they were properly
informed.
The inquest also heard a scoring system
to determine the seriousness of a patient's condition was
miscalculated, and although it could not be said the human error
contributed to Mrs Dodd's death, coroner Dr Wilson-Hunter said a
correctly tallied score would have alerted doctors there was a
problem sooner.
Mr Arif Khan, the surgeon who operated on
Mrs Dodd, said: 'There are times when you get the optimum care and
there are times when you expect more and it does not happen.'
He said the hospital trust needed more
staff and better resources the same old excuse .
The inquest heard that Mrs Dodd had seen
a member of the surgical team during the five days her notes were
left blank, but Dr Wilson-Hunter criticised the communication
breakdown.
He said: 'Nothing was written, and it's
imperative there are good entries made.'
He returned a verdict that Mrs Dodd had
died due to multiple organ failure.
Dr Wilson-Hunter added: 'She died as a
result of a recognised complication in a necessary surgical
procedure, but there appeared to be problems with doctors
communicating with each other.'
From the Guardian Series, first
published Thursday 14th Oct 1999.
Report by
MHARI KELLY
A DOCTOR made two critical mistakes which led to the death of a
62-year-old woman, an inquest has heard.
Margaret Poole died after routine surgery at Leighton Hospital
went wrong.
An inquest in Crewe heard that Mrs Poole would almost certainly
have been alive today - if the errors had not been made in surgery.
Dr Kaleem Toori was supposed to drain fluid from her right lung -
but started the procedure on her left lung by mistake.
He should then have ordered for an urgent X-ray to be taken to
check there had been no damage - but he failed to do so.
Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg recorded a verdict of
misadventure on Mrs Poole, of Shipbrook Road, Rudheath.
But after the inquest, Mrs Poole's daughter, Judith Finney, of
Gowy Walk, Winsford, said that she was not satisfied with the
verdict and would fight to have Dr Toori struck off the register.
She said: "We are going to pursue this with the General Medical
Council because he should be down graded or struck off completely.
At the end of the day he admitted his mistakes so something should
be done.
From the Guardian Series, first
published Thursday 24th Jan 2002.
Dr failed to spot killer bug
A DOCTOR has admitted failing to examine a patient properly just
hours before she died of a rare and deadly disease.
Dr Richard Pearson was on duty at Leighton Hospital's A&E
department when Alison Farmer came in complaining of an allergic
reaction to an insect bite.
However, the doctor failed to spot an infection that was in fact
the deadly disease, Nacrotising Faciitis - known as the flesh-eating
bug.
Mrs Farmer, aged 42 and of Fuller Drive in Wistaston, was sent
home but collapsed very soon after and died after being rushed back
to the hospital.
Dr Pearson, who has in the past been caught sniffing an
anaesthetic drug while on duty at another hospital, appeared at an
inquest into the death but denied being under the influence of any
drugs or alcohol on the day in question.
At the inquest, Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg, launched an
in-depth probe into what happened that day, September 11, 2000.
Mrs Farmer's husband, Robert, 45, told the court that his wife
had a history of allergic reactions to Horse Flies and on the day
before her death (Saturday) had said she had been bitten.
"I woke about 7.30am (on Sunday) took one look at her and thought
you're not right, we phoned the GP service and they advised us to
take her to the hospital," Mr Farmer said.
The court heard Dr Pearson saw Mrs Farmer at around 9am but heard
conflicting accounts as to the extent of the doctor's examination of
the patient.
Mr Farmer said he told the doctor that his wife had been shaking
and that the insect bite was thought to be underneath the arm but
maintained he never examined that area.
"He did not visually examine the area at that stage and I do not
think he did at any stage thereafter. He examined her with his hands
above the clothing.
"At some stage towards the end of our visit she said the tissue
seemed to be hardening and was moving onto her breast and it was
very hard and sore, but again I did not see Dr Pearson make a visual
examination," he added.
Dr Pearson told the court he did not remember being told she had
been shaking and he had seen a mark on the left arm, which he had
taken to be the bite.
"I do not know why her clothes were not removed and I do not ever
remember being told that there was an insect bite under the arm," he
said.
When Mr Rheinberg questioned the fullness of Dr Pearson's
examination he said: "I do not recall being told that the pain was
further down the chest. I accept she was not fully examined."
Mr Farmer tried to question Dr Pearson, saying: "We are aware you
have a history of substance misuse," but Mr Rheinberg said the
questioning wasn't relevant although he asked if Dr Pearson had been
under the influence at the time, to which he responded: "I was
certainly not under the influence of drugs or alcohol on that day."
The court heard that a high pulse rate of 110 was recorded and a
heartbeat of 136 and that Mrs Farmer was clammy and sweaty and
various experts testified this should have been an indication of
infection.
Dr Duncan Chambers, a consultant with A&E at Leighton Hospital,
said: "It (Nacrotising Faciitis) is a very difficult diagnosis but I
think it would have been reasonable given an appropriate examination
to think of infection."
Recording a verdict of accidental death Mr Rheinberg said: "There
is some degree of uncertainty or inconsistency in evidence as to
what exactly happened between Mr Farmer and Dr Pearson.
"Alison Farmer may have been expected to have been referred onto
a more specialist treatment regime, the best place probably being
intensive care and the lack of treatment can be best categorised as
a lost opportunity rather than the actual cause of Mrs Farmer's
death."
Mr Rheinberg was assured changes had been made at Leighton's A&E
department.
Chief Executive at Leighton Hospital, Simon Yates, confirmed Dr
Pearson is still working at Leighton and that the hospital had
already taken disciplinary action against him.
"The Trust accepts Mrs Farmer should have stayed in hospital,"
said Mr Yates.
From the Guardian Series, first
published Thursday 29th Jan 2004.
A NANTWICH man - released from Leighton Hospital's psychiatric
ward three days after being admitted for trying to kill himself -
took an overdose and died.
An inquest into the death of Martin Paul Upham, aged 37, of
Murrayfield Drive, Willaston, heard how an administration mix-up
meant he did not receive a visit from a community health nurse to
check on his wellbeing.
On January 8, 2003, depressed Mr Upham plunged a broken glass
into his left wrist in a suicide attempt, four days after suggesting
he was going to kill himself with medicine, the Crewe hearing was
told.
He was transferred to the Countess of Chester Hospital before
being admitted to Leighton's psychiatric ward.
Mr Upham was given sedatives before he was released after
becoming agitated when his wife Diane visited and told him their
marriage was over.
He was discharged despite protests from his concerned family and
took a lethal cocktail of medication and alcohol, a week later, on
January 23.
Mrs Upham said: "There was a plan that he would be supported by
the community health team. We got a letter the day after he died to
arrange an appointment but that was the first point of contact.
"The day before he died I had a conversation with the community
health team to see why nothing had happened."
Adrian Sherrat, a staff nurse on the hospital's Ward 21, said:
"It appears the documentation went missing and when the community
heath team received it, it had not been filled in correctly.
I had unfortunately forgotten to complete part of it."
Later Mr Upham's mother Jennifer said: "I'm not happy that notes
went missing.
"I feel that my son was let down by the system.
"I spoke to someone at the hospital and said I wanted it recorded
that I wasn't happy that he was being released.
"His whole mannerisms told you he wasn't right."
Dr Sarah Linney, who discharged him, said: "I only met him on his
discharge on the Saturday. I wasn't aware he had expressed he wanted
to die after the incident with the glass.
"We can force someone to stay against their will for 72 hours.
But I didn't feel it was necessary.
"He was adamant that he wouldn't harm himself because of his
children."
Recording a suicide verdict, Cheshire Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg
said: "Martin Upham took his own life when the balance of his mind
was disturbed."
Health watchdog finds that failings at the Mid Cheshire Hospitals
NHS Trust led to unacceptable levels of care for older patients
Published: January 24th 2006 Serious lapses in the care of older
people at Leighton Hospital have been identified in an investigation
report published today (Tuesday) by the independent healthcare
regulator the Healthcare Commission. The investigation followed the
conviction in 2004 of Ward Sister Barbara Salisbury on two counts of
attempted murder.
The conviction related to incidents that occurred at Leighton
Hospital in 2002 and involved the inappropriate administration of
diamorphine, a powerful opiate analgesic, to patients. The aim of
the investigation was to look at whether there were failings in
systems to protect patients in the trust in 2002, and to assess
whether these failings were still a problem. The investigation found
that the trust failed to meet adequate standards of care.
This, together with poor leadership and management, staff shortages
and a lack of learning from complaints, resulted in the safety of
patients being compromised. Patients were often not assisted to take
their medication or helped with eating and drinking. The Commission
found that the general lack of attention by staff sometimes
prevented patients from getting to the bathroom or using the bedpan
in time, adversely affecting their dignity, morale and health.
Healthcare assistants reported having no time to shave patients or
answer buzzers, and there were numerous examples of drug rounds
being late and tablets being left on tables out of reach of
patients. Following the conviction of Barbara Salisbury, many nurses
and some families reported serious misgivings that patients were not
receiving adequate pain relief. Marcia Fry, Head of Operational
Development at the Healthcare Commission, said: “There is no excuse
that allows for the care and dignity of patients to be compromised
in this way. “This report has highlighted serious problems, some of
which go right up to the most senior level at the trust.
We are pleased that the trust has already taken some urgent action
to improve the service for patients. It must continue on this path
and make every effort to implement all of the recommendations in
this report. It must do everything in its power to build a service
that staff, patients and their families can rely upon. “As
performance manager and commissioner of services of the trust, the
local strategic health authority and primary care trust must share
responsibility and work with the trust to improve the situation.
“The Healthcare Commission will keep a close watch on the trust over
the coming months to make sure that the necessary improvements are
made.” In order to address the concerns identified in the
investigation the Healthcare Commission has made the following
urgent recommendations:
* Recruit additional frontline nursing staff to provide an
acceptable and safe standard of care
* Improve governance and management of the medical directorate
* Investigate and address the cause of poor clinical outcomes in the
medical directorate, including apparently higher than average
mortality rates in recent years
* Review management and accountability arrangements in the trust In
addition, the trust must also:
* give greater priority to the care of older patients in line
with the national service framework for older people
* provide care that puts the needs of patients first and treats them
with dignity and respect
* review its arrangement for providing patients with
appropriate pain relief
* take action to address poor care when it is identified
through complaints and/or reporting
* develop action plans in response to serious complaints and ensure
that they are implemented and monitored Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS
Trust have developed a detailed action plan to address the
recommendations in the report.
A number of these actions have already been put in place including a
high level review of the trust’s management arrangements. The trust
is reviewing its risk assurance framework; they are also reviewing
arrangements for governance and management particularly in the
medical directorate. In addition to this, the trust, which is under
the leadership of a new acting chief executive, has recruited 44 new
nursing staff, and introduced a new approach to handling and
learning from complaints. An audit of the care of older people has
been launched. Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority
and the Healthcare Commission regional team will closely monitor
progress made against the action plan.
Full report of the investigation and how it was conducted
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Nurse gets five years for seeking to kill two patients
Nurse gets five years for seeking to kill two patients
Ward sister weeps at verdicts after trial that heard of her ruthless
desire to free beds by causing elderly to die
Helen Carter
Saturday June 19, 2004
The Guardian
A senior ward sister was convicted yesterday of attempting to murder
two elderly patients under her care because she was motivated by a
ruthless desire to free up beds at a hospital which was in the
throes of a bedblocking crisis.
Barbara Salisbury crossed the line between humane nursing and
callous dispatch of patients at Leighton hospital in Crewe by
administering diamorphine or lying them on their back so they would
drown in their own secretions. She was jailed for five years after
being found guilty at Chester crown court of the attempted murders
of May Taylor, 88, and Frank Owen, 92, in March 2002.
Article continues
Salisbury, 47, from Pontybodkin, north Wales, wept as the guilty
verdicts were read out. Sentencing her, Mr Justice Pitchford said:
"Your duty and your trust was one of care towards your patients, and
under the direction of the doctors, the respect for and preservation
of human life. The jury has found that in the case of two elderly
patients who were nearing their end, you broke that duty and abused
your trust by attempting to hasten death."
He added: "It is impossible for me to fathom what it was to cause
you to act as you did. You chose to exercise control over life and
death of patients whose time had not quite come."
Salisbury had faced four attempted murder charges. But she was
cleared of any unlawful involvement in the deaths of James Byrne,
76, and Reuben Thompson, 81.
Two years ago, the Cheshire hospital which serves a community with a
large number of elderly people, was in the middle of a bedblocking
crisis, which has since eased. The court heard that when she arrived
back on the ward after six days off sick, she saw Mr Owen, who had
been a patient for three months, and asked: "What's he still doing
here?"
The prosecution said she had been constantly pressing for him to be
discharged to a nursing home, despite Mr Owen needing a drip. She
told her colleagues to lie him on his back "so his lungs will fill
with fluid and he will die".
Despite colleagues telling her that Mr Owen was not in pain, she
gave him two injections of diamorphine. The former mechanic died
five minutes after she finished her shift. One witness described her
actions as "callous and unprofessional". Later, she was asked if his
death was peaceful. She replied: "Yes, thanks to me."
Salisbury had lied to doctors to ensure Mrs Taylor, a widow, was
given excessive doses of diamorphine. When challenged, Salisbury had
replied: "Why prolong the inevitable?"
She had been accused of telling James Byrne, who had suffered a
minor stroke: "Give in, it's time to go," as she gave him
diamorphine.
When she appeared in the witness box, Salisbury repeatedly denied
hastening patients' deaths, but admitted using the phrase "It's OK
to go now" to those close to death, in an effort to be soothing.
The prosecution claimed Salisbury had arrogated to herself the right
to decide when patients should die and attempted by her actions to
shorten what remained of their lives. But she said: "I have probably
said, 'It's OK for you to go now.' It's a term I often used to use
in intensive care, meaning it's OK, you can leave this life," she
told the jury. "I said it in a gentle way to let them know there was
somebody there." She could not remember any of the four patients.
Unpopular
Salisbury was said to have been unpopular among her colleagues on
the ward because of her brusque manner. Many of the nurses were
traumatised by what they witnessed, while others were bullied into
obeying her orders. Following the death of Mrs Taylor, nurses
Katherine Darby and Alexandra McNally were so appalled by her
treatment at the hands of Salisbury that they complained to their
managers.
There were other incidents involving elderly people. Nurse Annie
Denson said that on Christmas Day 2001, Lila Hillyer, 86, was
nearing death. She had left her on her side aided by an oxygen mask
so she might survive until relatives could see her. Then Salisbury
came into the side room and said: "Lose the oxygen and lie her
flat." The nurse ignored the instruction and the patient survived
two more days.
Salisbury's barrister, Peter Birkett, said in mitigation that she
had no criminal record and suffered from depression, for which she
was treated in hospital from August 2002 to July 2003.
Salisbury, a mother of two, had been a nurse for most of her working
life. Born in Liverpool, she began training in 1975 while in the
RAF. She went on to qualify as a state enrolled nurse and a
registered general nurse and worked at hospitals in Peterborough and
King's Lynn, principally in intensive care. In 1993, she moved to
Leighton hospital. She had risen to the rank of Grade E staff nurse
and three years later she was promoted to a Grade F ward sister.
She worked on Ward 5, a general medical ward with a number of
geriatrics, until 2000, when she transferred to Ward 4. The
following year, the trust's chief executive, Simon Yates, presented
her with a Learning to Be a Leader award.
"She had a pretty good reputation with the management," said a
source at the hospital. "They looked upon her as being efficient.
But the people who worked with her had no time for her at all. They
certainly didn't like her attitude and she upset and offended an
awful lot of people."
For more than a year, a team of detectives from Cheshire police were
based at the hospital as part of a lengthy investigation led by
Detective Chief Inspector Adrian Wright. Salisbury was eventually
charged with the attempted murders in June 2003. The inquiry team
examined 20 deaths of elderly patients at the hospital over a
five-year period. A hotline set up for concerned relatives received
more than 100 calls in its first few weeks.
In a statement, the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health
Authority paid tribute to the whistleblowers. "We are grateful to
the hospital staff who first raised their concerns with the trust
for bringing the matter to the attention of the police," it said.
"We have agreed with the trust that the SHA will commission an
independent investigation to look into the issues surrounding this
case."
A statement from Salisbury's husband Derek said: "My wife is a
devoted nurse, who has dedicated herself to the care of the sick.
Always she has put the interests of patients first. We do not accept
this jury's verdict. We know her to be innocent of any crime. This
is a tragic day for her, for us her family, and for the nursing
profession."
From the Guardian Series, first
published Wednesday 7th Jul 2004.
A DANGER
A WINSFORD woman warned Leighton Hospital that Barbara Salisbury
was dangerous more than three years before she attempted to murder
two patients.
Kathleen Suckley, of Dee Square, Winsford, wrote an eight-page
letter to Leighton Hospital in December 1998, outlining the way her
husband, Roy, 74, was treated on ward five.
Speaking to the Guardian this week, Mrs Suckley said: "Maybe if
my letter had been taken more seriously then she wouldn't have had
the opportunity to commit the crimes that she did.
From the Guardian Series, first
published Wednesday 31st Oct 2001.
A LACK of staff and old anaesthetic equipment are among the
concerns raised after an assessment of Leighton Hospital.
Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust has now published a three-year
action plan to combat the problems raised in the Commission of
Health Improvement (CHI) report.
The 70-page report is the result of months of investigations by
CHI, which included interviews with dozens of patients and staff and
a week-long hospital visit.
Simon Yates, the chief executive at Leighton, said he had
expected the various concerns to be raised and put the problems down
to a lack of staff and money.
From the Guardian Series, first
published Wednesday 21st Feb 2001.
A FORMER employee at Leighton Hospital has revealed that staff
are demoralised and morale is very low in the Accident and Emergency
department.
The ex-employee, who does not wish to be identified, says junior
doctors work in the department with little experience.
"It's like being in a nightmare, it's absolutely soul destroying.
What people don't realise is how little cover we have," the
ex-employee said.
"The main thing is the frustration among staff.
"Everybody, nursing staff, junior doctors and permanent staff
feel so demoralised and fed up with the whole situation."
The revelations were prompted by our story two weeks ago when we
told how a 12-year-old boy had to wait almost six hours because
there was only ONE doctor covering the busy department.
From the Guardian Series, first
published Wednesday 21st May 2003.
I WAS dismayed and saddened to read the coroner's comments
following the suicide of a patient at Leighton Hospital. Regrettably
though, the comments are long overdue.
The Psychiatric Unit has a lot to answer for. I was a patient at
the time of the suicide in question and witnessed several incidents
of the type mentioned by the coroner.
The reputation of the service among patients is abominable.
Furthermore as an inpatient, complaints go unheeded.
At a time when the government is obsessed with achievement of
quality healthcare we must ask why the standard of in-patient
psychiatric care in Crewe is poor.
When will patients in Crewe receive in-patient care with the
dignity and compassion we deserve?
TWO mums-to-be from South Cheshire were
left facing a desperate search for beds after Leighton Hospital's
maternity ward closed.
Claire Pheasey from Tennyson Close, Rode
Heath, and Faye Talbot, of Lime Tree Avenue, Crewe, were turned away
after they were told the ward had been shut because of staff
sickness.
A nightmare 48 hours began for the women
when Claire, who had planned to give birth at the Crewe hospital,
rang to say she had gone to labour.
When she called back later in the day she
was told the maternity unit had been closed and was given the number
for another hospital.
From the Guardian Series, first
published Thursday 8th Oct 1998.
A TEENAGE twin, brain damaged after being starved of oxygen
during her birth at Leighton Hospital, has won £1.7million damages
in London's High Court.
South Cheshire Health Authority will pick up the tab after a
lengthy legal battle.
Amanda Ludow is 13, but the authority only admitted negligence in
February this year.
The court heard how the youngster, now living in Gosport,
Hampshire, was seriously disabled after suffering hypoxia, leaving
her in need of constant care for life.
Amanda and her twin sister Katie were born in September, 1985.
Katie was the younger by eight minutes and came through the birth
unscathed.
Amanda is cared for by her mother and step-father, Joanna and
Stephen Fields and stays with her father, David Ludlow, at weekends.
Judge Mr Justice Bell paid glowing tribute to the devoted care
lavished on Amanda by all three.
The court heard that the youngster suffered from Dyskenetic
cerebral palsy. Although not as badly off as some cerebral palsy
vicitms she had grave problems with mobility, some hearing loss and
severe learning difficulties.
"She has no sense of danger and has to be supervised
24-hours-a-day. Her mother and step-father are in the process of
buying a new home better suited to her needs," said the family's
counsel Mr Adrian Whitfield QC.
Mr Stephen Miller, for the Health Authority, said that the
authority accepted there had been lack of care for which they
expressed their sincere apologies.
After the hearing, Amanda's father said the settlement meant that
the youngster could now receive the high level of care she would
need for the rest of her life.
"We are relieved that this lengthy legal process is over.
However, we are concerned that some of the medical procedures appear
to have been inadequate and we will be seeking assurances that these
procedures have been improved, both locally and nationally," he
said.
The birth trauma occured well before the formation in 1991 of the
Trust that is now responsible for Leighton.
Chief Executive, Simon Yates, said that he was unable to comment
on the cause or subsequent action taken over medical procedures as
he had no knowledge of the case.
Liability rested with the Health Authority which managed the
hospital at the time.
"But the Trust is very pleased for Amanda that this matter has
reached a conclusion. We hope the payment will help her achieve the
best quality of life possible," he added.
THE length of time it has taken the Health Authority to
admit negligence is to be queried by watchdog organisation the Crewe
Community Health Council.
Chairman Mr Ron Stokes said "It seems to have taken a
tremendously long time to sort out and I intend to ask questions
about it."
From the Guardian Series, first
published Thursday 12th May 2005.
A CREWE mother is taking legal action against Leighton Hospital,
claiming a botched operation has left her in misery for almost two
years.
Vicky Oakes, 31, of Richmond Road, underwent a Caesarean section
in July 2003 giving birth to her fifth child Alannah.
But it was not until the day after that she noticed severe
bruising and a lump in her stomach.
She said: "They told me it would go away when things settled down
and they discharged me after four days.
"But the day after I was rushed back in with a severe internal
infection. Someone looked at me and I was just given a course of
antibiotics."
When she was still in pain two months later she went to see her
GP.
She said: "Following a CT scan, he said it was definitely a
hernia caused during the section when they had cut through into my
bowel by mistake."
She was eventually put on a waiting list, but told the earliest
appointment was November 2004. And when she finally went for the
pre-op she was told it had been cancelled.
A further appointment in January was also cancelled, as was a
third in February.
Vicky went in again on Friday and waited two hours for a bed
before being told she would be next into theatre.
She said: "Five minutes later I was told to get dressed as my op
had been cancelled and the surgeon had gone to see private
patients."
The married mum-of-five said her quality of life has been
decimated since the C-section.
She said: "I can no longer walk my children to school and I
struggle with everyday things like picking my daughter up and
shopping.
"I have never even had an apology from the hospital. If I'd
caused the problem I could perhaps understand it, but they have
caused it.
"I did tell them something was wrong after the birth, only to be
told it was all in my head."
The Trust's director of service development Mandy Donald said:
"Naturally, we are concerned if any patients are dissatisfied with
the health care we provide and should like to extend our sincere
apologies in this case.
"We do everything in our power to avoid postponing operations and
we deeply regret and fully understand the distress and inconvenience
which this causes to patients.
"However, it must be emphasised that seriously ill patients must
always take priority over other, less urgent cases.
"Unfortunately, sometimes the unpredictable nature of theatre
lists and availability of beds means occasionally it's not always
possible for surgery to go ahead as scheduled
From the Guardian Series, first
published Thursday 26th Feb 2004.
A WINSFORD woman whose baby son died in Leighton Hospital days
after he was born blames members of staff for causing the
circumstances that led to his death.
Julie Jennings, 37, of Norman Drive, conceived baby Connor
through IVF treatment after struggling for 15 years to have a child
with her husband Simon, 38.
Connor was born at Leighton on August 3, 2002, but was
immediately placed on a ventilator. Doctors established that Connor
was severely brain-damaged and the decision was made by his parents
to switch off their baby's ventilator on August 8.
Julie is still coming to term with her grief, but last week she
made the brave decision to speak out about her family's ordeal.
She claims that her son died because of mistakes made by some
members of staff who helped to deliver her baby, and has spent the
past year-and-a-half piecing together information about his death
she says was never volunteered.
She said: "Connor was taken from me immediately after he was
born. I was banging on the walls asking what was wrong.
"The midwife came back in and said that my baby was born
'flaccid', then she just went back out. My family came in and we
told them that Connor had died.
"Then the paediatrician said that they had resuscitated Connor
but he was very poorly and they did not know what the cause was.
They told us to be prepared to switch the ventilator off as he was
severely brain damaged."
A letter from the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) to the
Jennings' solicitor, David Tweedie, on June 23 last year, admits
that there was 'a breach of duty and limited causation' on the part
of the hospital in Connor's death.
Yesterday, Tuesday, Steve Walker, spokesman for the NHSLA, said:
"What the trust has accepted responsibility for is Connor's death."
Julie believes that the two major mistakes were a misreading of
the cardiotocograph (CTG) monitor that checks a baby's foetal
well-being during labour and a failure to carry out foetal blood
sampling.
A spokesman for Mid-Cheshire Hospitals' NHS Trust would only say:
"We are unable to comment on individual cases, but can confirm that
this case is being dealt with through the trust's complaints
process."
Leighton Hospital denies storing organs
From the Guardian Series, first published Monday 12th Feb 2001.
BOSSES at Leighton Hospital have denied claims that it stores the
organs of dead patients.
The Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust, which runs Leighton, said this
week that it does not retain organs once a post mortem has been
carried out to establish the cause of death of deceased patients.
But it has now set up a helpline for concerned relatives.
The announcement follows the publication of Michael Redfern's
inquiry into Liverpool's Alder Hey hospital, where more than 800
organs were removed from children without the consent of parents.
But the Trust has also set up a helpline for anyone who is still
concerned about the possibility that organs might have been retained
following a post mortem.
In a statement to the Guardian, Leighton's chief executive Simon
Yates, said: "I fully appreciate the concern that bereaved relatives
will be feeling on the recent reports.
"I can confirm that post mortems are carried out on the Leighton
Hospital site, when these are required by the coroner or when
relatives agree to a hospital post mortem.
"However, whilst organs may sometimes be removed temporarily as part
of this procedure, the Trust does not retain organs once the cause
of death has been established.
"Any organs removed during the post mortem will have been restored
to the deceased."
But Rosemary Oakes, a former coroner's office worker from
Stanthorne, believes the number of post mortems carried out at the
hospital is far too high, and often unnecessary.
"People should be made aware of the fact that post mortems are often
carried out often without any reasonable explanation," she said.
The helpline number for more information about the Trust's
procedures and policy on organ retention is 01270 501646.
