Family slam NHS over failure to diagnose serious bowel condition

Jan 27 2011 by Sandra Walls, Hamilton Advertiser

A STONEHOUSE woman had to have emergency surgery after local GPs and NHS24 allegedly failed to diagnose and treat toxic megacolon, a life-threatening bowel complaint.

Margaret Murray (39) had started to become extremely ill with severe symptoms of what she thought was irritable bowel syndrome.

She was suffering from severe sickness and diarrhoea and her niece Paige Easton and other members of her family decided to call in their local GP from Cander Centre, Stonehouse.

The doctor called in to see her at her home at the beginning of the new year on the first week of her illness, but said it was only a bug and prescribed tablets to stop the sickness.

The following week Mrs Murray’s health began to deteriorate badly.

Her niece Paige said: “She went down hill rapidly. She looked awful, her speech was slurred, she could not stand up on her own and she hadn’t eaten anything for almost two weeks.

“We were so worried that a second doctor was called in on January 13 to the house again. He agreed with the first doctor’s opinion that there was nothing wrong with her.”

Mrs Murray had, in the past, been admitted to hospital for various colonoscopy procedures and had been diagnosed as having irritable bowel syndrome on separate occasions.

Paige added: “We knew this time it wasn’t just the IBS or low sodium levels, she was also very dehydrated.

“As she had been admitted to hospital with the same symptoms in the past, we informed both GPs of this during their initial visits, but both said that dehydration or sodium levels had no bearing on her current condition.”

Two days later, on January 15, Paige called NHS24 who advised to take Mrs Murray to hospital.

“All the staff at the Wishaw General Hospital did was take some urine samples. After the results came back she was sent home, even although traces of blood was found in the urine,” said Paige.

After her illness worsened the family felt that there was no other option but to act themselves. and so they called an ambulance the following day.

Mrs Murray was rushed into the high dependency unit at Wishaw General, and her family said the doctors were shocked to see her state of her health. She was later diagnosed as having toxic megacolon... a life-threatening complication of other intestinal conditions.

Paige added: “My aunt had to have a major emergency operation which lasted five hours.

“Doctors called at 5am and told us the operation was a success and she was recovering in intensive care, but that she also had the worst case of food poisoning he had seen for 25 years.

“We questioned how the food poisoning and toxic megacolon hadn't been spotted, as they have dramatic symptoms, all of which my aunt had.

“We also asked what had caused them, but doctors and nurses failed to answer.

“Half of her bowel was removed during the colectomy operation. She was very dehydrated, her sodium levels were low and there is also abnormal kidney function.

“The doctors said that if she hadn’t had the emergency operation when she did, she would not be with us today.

“My aunt has seen many different doctors, on separate occasions, and all failed to notice the toxic megacolon symptoms. It’s a disgrace.

“Our family and close friends are all very shocked, appalled and angered by the way she has been treated and we intend to make a formal complaint to the NHS and the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). However, we just wanted to make the public aware of their failure to detect such serious conditions and that they can’t be trusted.

“If the doctors had done their job correctly my aunt would not be lying fighting for her life at this time.”

A spokesman for NHS Lanarkshire, said: “We cannot discuss the detail of individual cases due to patient confidentiality.

“We understand this must be a very distressing time, however we would urge the family to contact us directly so that we can investigate this matter through our formal complaints process and can discuss their concerns with them.”