York Hospital payout over death of Dawn Liddell

Dawn Liddell, 42, of Wenham Lane in Foxwood, was sent home from the hospital and told to contact her GP if her painful headaches continued. But she collapsed four days later and died from a second brain bleed within 24 hours of returning to the hospital. York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has apologised to Dawn’s mother, Beryl Liddell, for breaching its duty of care to Dawn.

The trust has also paid a “significant” sum of compensation to her 18-year-old son Jordan Hattee.

It has said that if she had been referred 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, 65, of Fenwick Street off Bishopthorpe Road, said: “We accept the apology but don’t think I ever will 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 light and soul of the party.

“She would always help anybody and she was one of those people who draw people to her. There were more than 400 people at her funeral and the vicar said he had never had as many people as for her.

“What upsets me is that she has missed out on her life. She has only seen Jordan as he was at 16.”

Beryl added that as she herself had suffered a brain haemorrhage at the age of 21, doctors could have been more aware that her daughter may have had a heightened risk of a similar attack.

Jordan, who now lives with his uncle, Phill Liddell in Foxwood, said his mum had been booked in for a CT scan on the morning of her death on September 9, 2008, but that it was cancelled to wait for an MRI scan in the afternoon.

Dawn started fitting before the scan and later died, he said.

Jordan, a performing arts acting student at York College, 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 throughout the night. “We have to accept it [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 my mum here with me.”

In a letter of apology to Beryl and her family, Patrick Crowley, the chief executive of York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust wrote: “The Trust has accepted that with 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 spokesperson for York teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are sorry for the circumstances surrounding Dawn’s death, and once again extend our condolences to her 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.”first went to hospital and had subsequent treatment she would have had an 80 to 85 per cent chance of survival.

Beryl, 65, of Fenwick Street, off Bishopthorpe Road, said: “We accept the apology, but don’t think I ever will 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 would always help anybody and she was one of those people who drew people to her. There were more than 400 people at her funeral and the vicar said he had never had as many people as for her.

“What upsets me is that she has missed out on her life. She has only seen Jordan as he was at 16.”

Beryl said she herself had suffered a brain haemorrhage at the age of 21, and doctors could have been more aware that her daughter may have had a heightened risk of a similar attack.

Jordan, who now lives with his uncle, Phill Liddell, in Foxwood, said his mum had been booked in for a CT scan on the morning of her death on September 9, 2008, but that it was cancelled to wait for an MRI scan in the afternoon.

Dawn started fitting before the scan and later died, he said.

Jordan, a performing arts acting student at York College, 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 throughout the night. “We have to accept it [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 my mum here with me.”

In a letter of apology to Beryl and her family, Patrick Crowley, the chief executive of York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust wrote: “The Trust has accepted that with 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 spokesperson for York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are sorry for the circumstances surrounding Dawn’s death, and once again extend our condolences to her 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.”