Hospital failures led to Norfolk man dying from flu

A Medical Negligence solicitor at Ashtons Legal has obtained a five-figure settlement for the family of Mr K, a vulnerable man who died from flu after a Norfolk hospital failed to recognise and respond to his symptoms in a timely manner.

Mr K was admitted to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as he was experiencing severe stomach pains. After undergoing several tests he was diagnosed with both pancreatitis and pneumonia.

Over the next three weeks Mr K’s condition slowly improved until he contracted the flu and sadly died two days later.

Following his death, Mr K’s family were told that there was going to be an investigation into the care that he received whilst in hospital.

Some of the findings were as follows:

• there was a delay in recognising Mr K’s flu-like symptoms and therefore they were not responded to promptly
• there was a lack of isolation rooms on the ward for those diagnosed with flu to be nursed in
• not all patients were being routinely tested for flu upon admission despite many presenting with respiratory symptoms which could have indicated a diagnosis of flu
• many staff were not adequately trained to identify the early onset of flu symptoms.

Had Mr K’s symptoms been recognised and responded to in an appropriate and timely manner then it is likely that he would not have died.

Ashtons comment: “This was a very sad case where several failures led to the untimely death of a healthy and well-loved man. It brought great sadness to Mr K’s wife and family and is an example where his death could have easily been avoided it if weren’t for the hospital’s wrongdoing.”

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