Hospital is sued after her it didn't spot cancer

Hospital is sued after her it didn't spot cancer

A mother is suing an NHS Trust after its repeated failure to spot her partner's cancer resulted in his death.

Father Daniel Hemming, from Halesowen, was eventually diagnosed with cancer two years after a specialist missed vital warning signs in his MRI scan.

Yet an address mix-up meant he did not receive treatment for a further year.

Mr Hemming's partner Fallon Waldron, 28, claims delays to Mr Hemming's diagnosis and treatment caused his death. She has since been left to raise their six-year-old-son Harry alone.  

The case is the latest in a string of scandals facing Worcestershire Acute Hospital NHS Trust where more than 11,000 X-rays have allegedly gone reported since the beginning of last year - some of which required u rgent treatment.

The Trust deny responsibility for Mr Hemming's death.

Daniel Hemming was eventually diagnosed with cancer two years after a specialist missed vital warning sign on his MRI scan (pictured with his son Harry, now six)

IS THE NHS ONE STEP CLOSER TO PRIVATISATION?

The NHS may borrow up to £10 billion from hedge funds to finance hospital repairs and increased GP care, it was claimed earlier this year.

If approved, the move will edge the health service one step closer to becoming private, experts claim.

Its budget currently stands at around £120 million a year - with the additional funds giving it a boost of approximately eight per cent.

Although this is not t he first time the NHS has sought private investment, it appears to be the biggest sum ever requested.

An NHS official is due to meet with treasury officials today to finalise an agreement in an attempt to ease the ongoing financial crisis the health service is under.

According to health chiefs, low interest rates give the NHS a 'golden opportunity' to raise money without relying on the minimal government funding.

Hedge funds pool earnings from investors into 'assets,' such as the NHS. 

Address mix-up set treatment back a year 

Mr Hemming first visited his GP in 2010 with a lump on his lower back.

He was referred to Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust where an MRI scan was carried out, however, signs of his cancer were missed.

After hearing nothing, Mr Hemming returned to his GP who sent him for further tests at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, where a second MRI scan was performed.

Mr Hemming was eventually told he had cancer in July 2012, however, his treatment was delayed for more than a year due to an address mix-up.

He died in March 2014. 

His partner Ms Waldron is now bringing up their son Harry alone.

Before his death, Mr Hemming instructed medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to launch legal action against the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospital NHS Trust.

The Dudley trust has admitted that Mr Hemming should have been referred to a specialist cancer team more than a year earlier then he was.

Worcester Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has denied liability. 

A spokesperson said: 'We would like to offer our sincere condolences to Daniel's family.

'Unfortunately, as the claim is ongoing, we are unable to comment any further at this time.'

His partner Fallon Waldron (left), 28, is suing Worcestershire Acute Hospital NHS Trust

More than 11,000 urgent X-rays missed 

The tragedy comes after reports that more than 11,000 X-rays have gone unreported at the Worcestershire Acute NHS Trust since the beginning of last year.

The Trust is now is in special measures. This means regulators have deemed the service to be falling short of acceptable standards.

An independent inquiry has been launched over the backlog of X-rays, some of which could have required urgent attention.

The scandal came to light after an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which was alerted to problems by whistleblowers and members of the public.

The watchdog demanded an urgent action plan after discovering 11,722 scans relating to more than 10,000 patients had not been reported since January 1 last year.

The Trust, which runs the Alexander Hospital in Redditch, has now cleared the backlog, but is facing fresh claims over its MRI scanning.

The CQC has given the Trust six months to improve or it will face sanctions.  

'Harry will never have a relationship with his father'  

Jenna Harris, a specialist medical negligence solicitor at Irwin Mitchell, said: 'This is an incredibly tragic case in which a young father has sought treatment and advice related to a lump, but who we believe only got the care he required when it was simply too late.

'While it is welcome that some admissions have been made in t he case, we are determined to ensure that Daniel's family get the answers and justice they deserve regarding his death.

'This case has raised very serious concerns and it is vital that steps are taken to ensure the same problems never happen again.' 

Ms Waldron said: 'It is hard to believe that it has been three years since Daniel passed away and we all miss him so much.

'I'm just devastated that Harry will never have a lasting relationship with his father, although he often talks about Daddy being in the stars.

'It is hard to believe that it took around two years from Daniel complaining about the lump for it to be recognised for what it was and we are just desperate to know how this could have happened.

'If any good can come from the nightmare we have faced, it is that lessons can be learned which will ensure that the treatment and care received by others can be improved. This should simply not happen again.' 

 

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