THE family of a woman from Bolton-upon-Dearne who died after undergoing a procedure at Rotherham Hospital have spoken out after an investigation found almost 60 separate incidents during the same procedure had taken place.
Health bosses at Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust commissioned an external review into its endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) service after 68 patients either died or suffered complications within 30 days of a procedure.
ERCP is a procedure that combines endoscopy and X-ray imaging to diagnose and treat problems in the bile and pancreatic ducts.
It involves inserting a flexible, lighted tube (endoscope) through the mouth, down the esophagus and stomach, and into the small intestine to visualise these ducts.
The review by Royal College of Physicians found failures in the care of 58 patients, while 25 ‘suffered some degree of harm,’ a report said.
The service had been suspended in July 2021 and patients’ care transferred to Sheffield following a ‘cluster of adverse incidents and complications’.
Although the RCP reported back to the Trust in January 2023, it is believed that details of the investigation have only just been made public.
They have been published in board papers at the start of this month.
The trust said it was contacting all 68 patients or their families earlier this month to apologise and to ‘outline what the external review has said about their individual care’.
Expert lawyers at Irwin Mitchell represented the loved ones of Val Burkill, who died of sepsis three weeks after undergoing an ERCP at Rotherham Hospital.
The 73-year-old attended hospital for the procedure to remove gallstones on October 1, 2020.
However, it was argued that Val - a retired hairdresser - wasn’t made aware of any risks or complications connected to the procedure which lasted eight minutes.
She was discharged an hour after the ERCP.
Despite complaining of stomach pain, no examination was carried out.
Valerie was taken back to hospital by ambulance that night.
She was diagnosed with a perforated bowel on October 16.
She developed sepsis and her condition continued to deteriorate.
Val was transferred to a hospice on October 20 and died four days later.
Following the mum-of-three and grandma-of-seven’s death, Val’s loved ones, including husband Garry, 79, instructed expert medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate her care and secure answers.
In a separate legal claim brought by Irwin Mitchell on the family’s behalf, the hospital trust admitted failings.
The trust also admitted that with appropriate care, on the balance of probability, Val would have survived and made a full recovery.
Garry, a retired builder, said: “Val was a wonderful person - one in a million.
“She was the most loving and caring wife, mum and grandma and I owe her everything.
“She was so caring and selfless and would be first in the queue to help anyone.
“We thought she was going to hospital for a routine procedure.
“Val was never told about any risks or complications, and we never got the impression there was anything to worry about.
“We thought she would be in and back home in no time.
“We knew we owed it to her to get answers regarding her care but it was still devastating when the trust admitted Val would have made a full recovery if she had received the correct care.
“This latest news is hard to accept.
“We knew there were issues with Val’s care, but we never expected there to have been failings in the ERCP service on such a large scale.
“Not only has this news shocked us but it has brought back the horrible memories around what happened to Val and the pain and suffering she had to go through in her final weeks.
“It’s hard not to think that if she had gone to another hospital for her ERCP Val would still be alive.
“Our family continues to have concerns about whether everything is being done to ensure the safety of patients and this latest news just adds to that.
“Our hearts go out to the others who have been affected by failings in the ERCP service.”
