A tragic incident unfolded as a woman lost her life due to delays in receiving prescribed medication, leading to a ruling of neglect by the coroner.
Theresa Lydon passed away during surgery at South Tyneside District General Hospital in South Shields on September 18, 2022, following a sequence of shortcomings in her treatment for ulcerative colitis. According to the inquest, Mrs. Lydon was diagnosed with the bowel condition in May 2021 and was prescribed the drug balsalazide, but did not receive the medication until June the following year.
Compounding the situation, she did not receive assistance from specialist inflammatory bowel disease nurses after a referral to the community service stalled. In the months leading up to her demise, Mrs. Lydon was hospitalized four times between July and September 2022. Although ulcerative colitis and an infection were initially identified in July, she was discharged after receiving treatment. However, subsequent readmissions in August 2022 failed to recognize the severity of her condition until the final admission.
The coroner’s investigation revealed lapses in care, including the failure to conduct blood tests during one hospital stay in August, hindering proper assessment and treatment. This omission was deemed contributory to her untimely death. By her last hospitalization, alternative treatments had faltered, and surgery became the sole remaining option, albeit considered high-risk due to her deteriorating health and prolonged hospital stays.
Mrs. Lydon ultimately succumbed to an intra-abdominal hemorrhage stemming from surgery complications. Additionally, the use of anti-coagulation treatment to prevent a pulmonary thromboembolism inadvertently exacerbated her condition. The inquest highlighted the challenge doctors faced in accessing her prior medical records from a neighboring hospital, underscoring systemic issues hindering optimal patient care.
The coroner emphasized the urgency of achieving real-time access to patient records and issued a report on preventing future deaths. Concerns were also raised regarding communication with Mrs. Lydon’s GP and prescription protocols. Both healthcare trusts involved expressed condolences and committed to enhancing care processes to prevent similar tragedies.
Efforts to address these deficiencies and enhance patient care procedures have been initiated, with a focus on early detection and streamlined medication prescribing practices. The aim is to ensure a more coordinated and effective approach to patient treatment across healthcare settings.