Coroner criticises hospital staff for unnecessary death of care worker

Kirsty Woods, 30, had part of her large bowel removed but surgical stitches came undone and leaked bowel contents and she died 12 days later, after doctors and staff at Barnsley District Hospital failed to spot signs of peritonitis, a fatal bacterial infection.

Assistant deputy coroner David Urpeth told a Sheffield hearing: “Clearly in my view her death was unnecessary and could have been avoided.”

He recorded a narrative verdict saying: “If the peritonitis had been diagnosed earlier Ms Woods would have been able to undergo further surgery and would very likely have survived.”

After the inquest Kirsty’s father Bernie Woods, 62, said the family had approached a solicitor.

“I am very satisfied with the verdict. The inquest has proved what we have said all along that this could have been prevented.”

Pathologist Dr Kim Suvarna had told the inquest he believed Miss Woods should have “walked through this type of surgical procedure easily”, and expressed surprise the severity of her subsequent illness was not identified and dealt with.

Miss Woods’s family said they had raised concerns about Kirsty’s failure to recover from the operation with staff at Barnsley District Hopsital but their pleas were ignored.

Challenged over her treatment during the hearing, Consultant surgeon Theodor Offori said: “I can’t see that one would have done anything particularly different at any stage.”

Miss Woods was admitted to the hospital on August 24, 2010 with a history of diarrhoea, vomiting and pain in her abdomen. Tests showed an inflamed large bowel and it was decided to operate on September 9.

Mr Offori said he had found the large bowel “completely inflamed” and removed part of it and sewed it up saying: “There was no leak at the time of surgery.”

Kirsty’ father Bernie Woods told the inquest just two days after the operation his daughter looked “horrendous” and over the next few days many visitors noted her condition.

He challenged Dr Offori and told the hearing: “He said she was fine and I was moaning about nothing and I would see a change over the next few days.”

The coroner said Mr Offori’s evidence to the inquest had been “inconsistent at times” and he preferred that of Dr Suvarna.

He also criticised surgical consultant Christopher Whitfield for his mind “not being as open as it could have been “ to other diagnoses.