Health trust in payout to family after mother’s fatal collapse

Dawn Liddell, 42, went to York Hospital complaining of painful headaches but was told to contact her GP if the symptoms persisted.

She collapsed four days later and died from a second brain haemorrhage within 24 hours of returning to the hospital.

In a tragic twist, Miss Liddell, who lived in York, had been booked in for a CT scan on the morning of September 9, 2008 – but that was cancelled while she waited for an MRI scan in the afternoon.

She started having a fit before the MRI scan and then died.

Senior officials from the York Hospitals NHS Trust have apologised to her mother, Beryl Liddell, 65, for breaching its duty of care.

A “significant” amount of compensation has been paid to the dead woman’s son, Jordan Hattee, 18, and while it is understood to run into five figures the exact sum has not been disclosed.

Beryl Liddell yesterday condemned the care which her daughter received as “worse than the 1960s”. Now a grandmother, she was 21 when she herself suffered a brain haemorrhage – and said a doctor came out to see her immediately before she was transferred to hospital.

She was adamant that the advent of modern technology over the intervening decades should have been enough to save her daughter.

Mrs Liddell, 65, who lives in York, said: “They have all the machines and technology now, but that’s no good without the personal care and treatment.

“They have apologised and paid Jordan a five-figure sum but it’s not about the money, no amount of money will bring her back. They could and should have saved her.”

The trust has admitted that if Miss Liddell had been sent for a CT scan when she first went to hospital and had subsequent treatment she would have had an 80 to 85 per cent chance of survival.

Beryl Liddell added: “We accept the apology but I don’t think we will ever draw a line under it because she was only young when she died and she wasn’t seen to.

“Everyone says time is a healer, but it isn’t. I see her friends about and she isn’t there. She used to be the life and soul of the party.”

She added: “She was wonderful, she used to help me out all the time. The saddest thing is that because of this terrible mistake, she has missed seeing her son turn 18 and grow into a man.

“I still can’t look at a photograph of her, it’s too upsetting and it brings it all back.”

Jordan, who now lives with his uncle, Phill Liddell, is a performing arts student.

The teenager said: “She was in hospital for 16 hours until she had a fit without having a brain scan. Throughout the night she kept complaining of head pains, I told the doctors and nurses this throughout the night.

“We have to accept the hospital’s apology. Obviously I’m not happy with what they have done, but I have to learn to get on with it.

“I have lost my mum, I would rather have her here with me.”

In a letter of apology to Mrs Liddell and her family, the chief executive of York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Patrick Crowley, wrote: “The trust has accepted that with the appropriate care and treatment, Dawn would probably not have died.

“On behalf of the trust, I would like to take this opportunity to offer a sincere apology to you and to Dawn’s son for the failings in the standards of care that Dawn received.

“We are truly sorry for what happened.”

A spokeswoman for York Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust added: “We are sorry for the circumstances surrounding Dawn’s death and once again extend our condolences to the family.

“This was investigated by the trust and we accept that there are things we should have done differently.

“As a result of our investigation, recommendations were made and measures have been put in place to try to prevent this being repeated.”

paul.jeeves@ypn.co.uk