Man dies after overdose of chemotherapy

A man has died in hospital following errors made by medical staff. Residents in Harlow, Essex, may be shocked to hear that he was incorrectly diagnosed as having sciatica, when in fact he had tumours in his back, and then, after the cancer was discovered, he was given an overdose of chemotherapy. The University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust said that they had launched an investigation into the incident and that their staff had assessed their own actions to prevent a recurrence.

The 49-year-old man was given an incorrect dose of chemotherapy at the Bristol Oncology and Haematology Centre and died a week later. On the morning of his death his partner was initially informed that he was doing well and eating, but an hour later she was called and told that he had died. Almost three weeks later she learned about an incident that had occurred during his treatment before receiving a letter from the hospital informing her that he had been given the wrong dose of chemotherapy.

He had initially been diagnosed as having sciatica by his GP, but was later found to have cancer. He underwent a successful surgery at Southmead Hospital to remove the tumours in his back and was then moved to Bristol Royal Infirmary for chemotherapy treatment where he was given the overdose. The hospital apologised to his partner and said that mistakes of this kind were extremely rare. She is seeking £100,000 compensation for the errors.

The effect of a misdiagnosis or the failure to provide a standard of care that could reasonably be expected can have grave consequences for patients and their family members. A solicitor with experience in cases of medical professional negligence may be able to assist those who are seeking compensation for the losses they and their loved ones have incurred.