A mum went to A&E with a fractured knee but died in agony eight days later after medics gave her the wrong medication.
Linda Allan, 59, was admitted to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy in Fife after falling at her home.
But medics gave her powerful anti-inflammatory drugs which reacted with a stomach ulcer and left her in terrible pain.
Despite knee surgery being successful, the mother-of-two suffered multiple organ failure which led to her death.
Devastated daughter Sharon Adams, 38, said: “As far as we’re concerned, every person that came into contact with our mum failed her.
“Those people should be held accountable and wider lessons need to be learned to improve gaps in NHS processes so this doesn’t happen again and we really hope the Fatal Acciden Inquiry (FAI) will achieve this.”
NHS Fife have outlined a series of issues with Linda’s care in an internal review which will be examined during a FAI which will kick off next month ahead of a full hearing in November.
Linda, from Kirkcaldy, was admitted to Ward 33 at Victoria Hospital after attending A&E on Tuesday, October 15, 2019, and underwent surgery two days later.
Within 48 hours, she began to suffer stomach pains which doctors told her was constipation caused by morphine. But by Sunday, October 20, Linda’s family said she was suffering pain so severe she couldn’t even respond to her daughter’s texts.
Witin hours, she suffered a cardiac arrest before it emerged her stomach ulcer had burst and was bleeding into her bowel – causing the multiple organ failure. Her heartbroken daughters were left with no choice but to turn off the ventilators and on October 23 Linda passed away.
Linda’s second daughter Shona Adams, 36, added: “It’s absolutely disgusting that a fit healthy woman with a broken knee died within the care or the hospital. We have lost everything.
“Treatment provided was dangerously incompetent really.
“A hazardous situation that resulted in our mum’s death which could have been avoided.”
Linda’s partner Jamie Duff, 52, added: “When Linda’s ventilator was turned off we were in complete disbelief. There was devastation but also anger and a truly crushing feeling.”
Sharon added: “Mum was the rock of the family. We just couldn’t believe it had come to this with such a minor injury because we expect hospitals to be a safe place that provides care.”
Linda’s medical records show she took omeprazole to treat a stomach ulcer and confirmed she did not take anti-inflammatory medication with a note that read “Naproxen – does not take”.
It later emerged that during her time on Ward 33 she was given Naproxen twice a day resulting in seven doses in total. A post-mortem confirmed Linda died from “multi-organ failure” and the internal NHS Fife probe confirmed the drugs were given.
It recommended reviews of medicines, improving note taking, improving post-surgery reviews and improving talks with next of kin.
Last night a spokesperson for NHS Fife said: “NHS Fife is unable to comment on the detail of this case due to existing legal proceedings, and initiation of a Fatal Accident Inquiry.
“We do, however, wish to extend our sincerest condolences to the family involved.”
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