An inquest into the death of a mum who died from sepsis and multi-organ failure days after being given "staggered overdoses" of paracetamol by hospital staff has concluded just days before Christmas.
The month-long inquest into the tragic death of 30 year old Laura Higginson at Whiston Hospital wrapped up on December 23. The Widnes mum-of-two was treated for suspected pneumonia on April 5, 2017, but ended up receiving "staggered overdoses" of paracetamol over several days before hospital staff caught the error.
At Bootle town hall, coroner Simon Holder delivered a narrative verdict, stating: "On the evidence I have heard, from April 5 to April 7 Laura Higginson was administered excess staggered doses of paracetamol while a patient at Whiston Hospital. It has not been proven, on the balance of probabilities, that this contributed to her death days later."
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The court also heard how Laura, who was just 5'1" and weighed 6st, was overdosed with frequent 1g intravenous doses of paracetamol on the day of her admission and the following day, with a final 500mg dose given on April 7 before a timely antidote was administered, reports the Liverpool Echo.
On April 7, Laura's health took a turn for the worse and she was swiftly taken to ICU, where she was put into an induced coma the next day. Her condition worsened, and by April 18, her husband Anthony and their children Steven, aged nine, and Evelyn, aged seven, were summoned to the hospital for a heartbreaking farewell.
Laura passed away on April 19, 2017, with multi-organ failure due to sepsis, cirrhosis, and pancreatitis listed as the cause of death. Mr Holder stated: "I have heard the (Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS) Trust's submission that a conclusion of natural causes would be appropriate. That is rejected. I also cannot accept the family's submission that neglect be recorded as a finding. I must explain... that neglect in coronial law is quite different.
"The definition of neglect in this context means a gross failure to provide adequate nourishment or liquid, or provide or procure basic medical attention or shelter or warmth for someone in a dependent position. I cannot find that the failures by the Trust amounted to a gross failure to provide the basics in medical care.
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"The failures of care do have to be gross, and I don't find that the failures here - that mistake of administering the paracetamol - amounts to a gross failure."
Although the coroner opted not to issue a regulation 28 report to prevent similar deaths in the future, citing the hospital's new safeguarding measures, he did express concerns over the hospital's transparency. He stated: "I'm not satisfied that the duty of candour was discharged in this case. The doctor quite openly accepted that as the case. The Trust has committed to improving standards of patient care. But this duty of candour is in place to inform patients and their families, and it's accepted Dr Higginson should have been informed. The family should have been informed."
However he said he would write a letter to the CQC, the independent regulator of health and social care in England, as Laura's family had no idea the paracetamol overdose had occurred until three months after she had died.