A grieving husband who lost his wife and "best friend" has slammed the care she received before she sadly passed away. Michael Hargreaves' partner Diane tragically died after collapsing at home on May, 12.
Two weeks prior to her death, Diane had been admitted to a ward at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham with a split hernia, with the mum-of-three said to be in "agony". The hernia was causing such a blockage that she was unable to use the toilet due to it being located on the front of her stomach, reports NottinghamshireLive.
The first visit to the centre lasted for three days but Michael was informed by staff that an operation would be "too risky". His wife, according to him, was given a laxative and sent home with "no proper aftercare".
Diane attended the QMC's A&E department twice after her initial hospital visit as the symptoms continued. On both occasions, she waited for around 12 hours without being seen.
Mr Hargreaves, 53, said: "We were begging A&E staff for someone to have a look at her and assess her properly, but she never got seen. She was still in agony but she said she only got given paracetamol on the second A&E visit. I just think the way she was treated was absolutely shocking."
The husband found his wife had collapsed on May 12 when he heard a bang from upstairs. She was taken to the QMC by an ambulance, but she died during the handover to hospital. Her death will be examined in an inquest.
Dr Keith Girling, the Medical Director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "I offer my condolences to the family of Mrs Hargreaves at this difficult time. We are in contact with her family and are actively reviewing our pathways for this increasingly common but complex illness."
The pair had been married since 2002, but had been together for more than 30 years in total. Michael works as a bus driver, whilst his wife worked as a sales assistant at a local Matalan store.
He added: "I'm not just saying it because she was my wife, but Diane was such a lovely person. She would have given her last bit of money away to help someone out and she was such a bubbly person who was always up for a laugh.
"We're all in shock as a family but we're just taking things one day at a time. We've had a wife, best friend, mother and grandmother taken away from us. Our granddaughter is now going to grow up not knowing who her grandma was. I just don't want the situation we've ended up in to be put on anyone else."
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