Senin, 25 Juni 2012

Diabetic mother, 55, died in hospital after nurse¿s ¿gross failure¿ to check her dangerously low blood sugar levels

Diabetic mother, 55, died in hospital after nurse¿s ¿gross failure¿ to check her dangerously low blood sugar levels

  • Mrs Pitt admitted herself to hospital when she realised her glucose levels were very low
  • Coroner says nurse failed to provide basic medical treatment
  • 'My wife deserved far better,' says distraught husband of 35 years

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 09:59 EST, 25 June 2012 | UPDATED: 10:07 EST, 25 June 2012

Diabetic Margaret Pitt, 55, suffered irreversible brain damage in November 2010 after medics at Alexander Hospital, in Redditch, Worcestershire, failed to monitor her blood sugar levels

Diabetic Margaret Pitt, 55, suffered irreversible brain damage in November 2010 after medics at Alexandra Hospital, in Redditch, Worcestershire, failed to monitor her blood sugar levels

A diabetic mother-of-three died after doctors forgot to check her blood sugar levels - days after she was admitted to hospital with dangerously low glucose levels.

Margaret Pitt, 55, who had lived with type one diabetes for 30 years, died days after admitting herself to the Alexandra Hospital, Worcestershire, when she realised her glucose levels were dangerously low.

But after Margaret, a teaching assistant, was moved off the intensive care ward, medics neglected to continue to monitor her blood levels - and she collapsed and suffered irreversible brain damage in November 2010.

Now, a coronor has criticised medics who carried out her treatment - describing the actions of a nurse who failed to check Margaret’s blood levels as 'a gross failure to provide basic medical treatment.'

Margaret’s devastated widower, David, said: 'Maggie and I had been happily married for 35 years and for her life to be tragically cut short so nee dlessly is almost too much to bear.

'I am absolutely distraught by Margaret’s death and very angry that she was let down so badly by the nurses that she put her complete trust in.

'My wife deserved far better. She was on a ward which was supposed to have experience of caring for diabetic patients and supposedly had the expertise to treat her condition, yet it appears she was just left to deteriorate without anyone checking her blood sugar levels.

'Over the years there were a number of occasions when I had to pull Maggie out of hypoglycaemic shock. I would check the back of her neck and if she was perspiring, I would give her warm water and a glucose tablet. It’s not rocket science and so I still don’t understand how trained medical staff got it so wrong.'

Margaret had lived with type one diabetes for more than 30 years, having been diagnosed when she was 20 years old, and over the years had become used to the daily routine of injections and checking her blood glucose levels.

However, on 4 November 2010 Margaret began to feel unwell and she recognised the tell-tale signs that her blood glucose levels had risen to a point where she needed medical help. She was admitted to the Alexandra Hospital and after being treated in intensive care she was moved to a ward for ongoing glucose tests and treatment.

In the early hours of 13 November, Margaret was found collapsed and unconscious and she was rushed back to intensive care where doctors discovered that she had suffered severe brain damage as a result of dangerously low blood glucose levels.

Her family were told that the damage was irreversible and there was nothing more that could be done. She remained in intensive care until she was transferr ed to Primrose Hospice on 19 November where two days later, she died.

Alexandra Hospital

Mrs Pitt admitted herself to the Alexandra Hospital, Worcestershire, when she realised her glucose levels were dangerously low

During a five-day inquest, HM Deputy Coroner for Worcestershire, Marguerite Elcock, heard how an experienced nurse failed to carry out blood tests which would have shown that Margaret’s glucose levels were not being controlled after she was admitted.

Medical law expert Sara Burns, from solicitors Irwin Mitchell, representing the family, said: 'The inquest has been incredibly harrowing for Margaret’s family as they have heard that she was woefully let down by a number of clinicians on this ward.

'Repeated opportunities to intervene and stabilise Margaret were missed and guidelines for blood glucose level testing were not followed to manage her diabetes.

'NHS policies and guides are in place for a reason - to save lives, and staff across the NHS must follow these to prevent unnecessary deaths.

'We will continue to help Margaret’s family in their battle for justice and we are now considering whether, given the evidence heard during this inquest, it is appropriate for us to refer the case to the Nursing and Midwifery Council.'

David added: 'I believe Margaret would still be alive today if she had received the correct treatment and, although nothing will turn back the clock for us, I hope improvements have since been made to protect any other family from suffering the heartbreak we have had to endure.'

Margaret’s daughter, Samantha, added: 'Margaret or ‘Maggie’ as she was affectionately known, was a loving mother, grandmother, sister and daughter. Her unexpected death has left a very large void in all our lives.

'Due to a series of failures she is now unable to watch her children and grandchildren grow up and have been stripped of the chance to happily live out her retirement in her beloved chosen location of Somerset for which she had so many plans.

'We are grateful that the inquest has provided us with some important answers regarding the circumstances of my Mum’s death, so that we as a family can have some closure after 19 long and very hard months.'

A spokesperson for Worcestershire NHS Trust said: 'Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust would like to offer sincere condolences to Mrs Pitt's family following the death of Mrs Pitt in 2010 and a difficult week exploring those events in court.

'The appropriate internal investigations and action have been taken according to Trust policy.  The Trust has taken prompt action in relation to this event and continues to invest heavily in diabetes services both within the Trust hospitals and across county-wide community services, including leading the Think Glucose initiative regionally.

'We accept the Deputy Coroner's conclusions and hope that the Family of Mrs Pitt has found the detailed inquiry helpful.'

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