Families blast hospital over heart deaths

The families of four cardiac patients who died from a heart bug have said more should have been done to save their loved ones.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Dec 2010, 19:08 BST
Updated 1st Dec 2010, 19:08 BST

A total of 11 heart patients developed endocarditis, a rare bacterial infection after they were operated on at the Trent Cardiac Centre in Nottingham City Hospital over six months last year.

At an inquest into the deaths of Albert Rigley, 62, Michael Smithers, 67, Alan Daniels, 73, Dennis Mills, 82, and Bernard Heald, 83, coroner Dr Nigel Chapman said the fatal heart bug could have been noticed earlier and said there were "multiple failures in communication" after 11 out of 28 heart valve transplant came down with the infection.

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The families of Mr Rigley, Mr Smithers, Mr Daniels and Mr Mills said they were still looking for answers and had instructed solicitors to investigate how they came to be infected by a surgeon who was unknowingly carrying the bug on his skin.

The coroner recorded a narrative verdict in each case.