Family’s fight for answers

QUESTIONS left unanswered . . . Ann Lawton died at the Royal Oldham Hospital in December, 2014

HEARTBROKEN parents are still waiting for answers a year after the death of their daughter during a routine hospital stay.

Kidney transplant patient Ann Lawton was admitted to the Royal Oldham Hospital last December 23 with an infection. Her health deteriorated until the 43 year old suffered a cardiac arrest and septicaemia before her death on December 29.

Since then Peter and Ann Lawton have fought for information about what happened to their “beautiful and life-loving” daughter, and described her treatment in hospital as “diabolical”.

The couple made a formal complaint to Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust in March and weren’t satisfied with the response and unanswered questions.

Mrs Lawton, from Chadderton, said: “We are still devastated by what happened to Ann. That we are still waiting for answers only makes it worse. She had developed water infections and always recovered so it was heartbreaking for us to lose her so suddenly.”

Their complaint raised issues over her care in hospital: that it was two days before she was washed or changed; that her family was unaware of changes to her medicines, and that a “do not resuscitate” instruction was implemented without consultation with Miss Lawton and her wider family.

The family had also requested Miss Lawton be transferred to the renal team at Salford Royal, where she was a patient, but were told there was “no clinical need” for her to be transferred and beds were unavailable.

A report said the trust “apologises unreservedly that this was the level of sub-standard care and service Ann and her family, received and witnessed”, and highlighted that a rapid improvement plan had been implemented.

For Miss Lawton’s family, the response didn’t go far enough to assist understanding of what had happened to their daughter.

Mrs Lawton continued: “The response only addressed some of our concerns, not everything - particularly issues with her medication. Ann had specialist medication vital to her health. When she was admitted I made sure staff on the ward knew when she needed to take it and how it should be stored. When she was transferred to a new unit staff said they had lost the medicine. We believe she went without it until later that day.

“There was a complete lack of care and we won’t rest until we get answers as to why she died. We think her medical records may have some answers and when, so we need to see them. The way we have been treated is disgraceful.”

Gill Harris, chief nurse at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said, “The complaint is currently open and being investigated by our senior doctors and myself. We are in contact with Mrs Lawton and are looking at all the issues raised.”