Widow awarded £12,500 after GP admits negligence
A widow has received £12,500 after a doctor admitted he had been negligent in treating her husband who had died of cancer.
A widow has received £12,500 after a doctor admitted he had been negligent in treating her husband who had died of cancer.
The woman’s husband had visited his GP after having two separate blood tests at a primary care centre. The tests showed that he was mildly anaemic and had marginally low haemoglobin levels.
The GP prescribed the man a six-month course of iron supplements. Six months later, another blood test revealed that the man’s haemoglobin levels had improved but his iron levels were not back to normal.
The GP didn’t suggest any further investigations to find out the cause of the man’s iron deficiency anaemia.
Two months later, the man became ill. He lost weight and felt nauseous with occasional vomiting. However, it was a further three months before he visited the GP. The GP then referred him for an urgent endoscopy, which revealed he had gastric cancer. He had to undergo three cycles of chemotherapy.
Within six months his condition had deteriorated. His tumour had grown and surgery was not possible.
He was released from hospital and died at home a month later.
His widow brought an action against the GP, who admitted negligence in failing to send the man for further investigation the first time they had discussed the blood tests.
While surgery may not have cured him, it would have reduced his suffering and prolonged his life for a few months.
The widow was awarded £12,500 compensation for her husband’s pain, suffering and loss of amenity.
David Kerry said: “Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a patient’s condition to deteriorate because medical staff fail to recognise the seriousness of early symptoms.
“Legal action obviously came too late to help the unfortunate patient, but at least his widow was able to get justice on his behalf.”
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