Margaret

My husband passed away last November. He was admitted to our local hospital after collapsing at home on 28th October 2022. He suffered with COPD, Atrial Fibrilation, had cancer of his oesophagus 7 years previous (he was declared cancer free) and was having many chest infections. He went into hospital and was admitted to a geriatric ward rather than a respiritory ward, fully able to eat, hold a conversation and walk with the aid of a stick. Within 2 weeks he could not eat, was bedridden and found it difficult to hold a conversation. He was moved to a single room (he originally was in a ward with 6 beds, mostly occupied by dementia patients), where he appeared to have nothing to eat. He was on palliative care, some medication taken away and was prescribed morphine (oromorph) and midazolam. I obtained all his medical notes to find this out. These stated he 'took his last breath at 4.45' written on a page dated 23 November 2022. Still not sure if this was 4.45pm on 23 November or 4.45 am on 24 November. I was telephoned at 5.50am on 24 November by a nurse saying he had 'deteriorated'. I got to the hospital 45 minutes later and was told he had passed away. I went into the room to find all the equipment missing, he was laid out and was stone cold. I consulted a solicitor, but he said that all my 'little grumbles' would not convince him to take the case on. I have sent a complaint to the hospital, but have received no acknowledgement or response in 6 weeks. I am now putting together a case for the ombudsman and am including some of the information I have found on the internet regarding midazolam and it's effects on breathing as I am sure that this aided his death, along with the morphine.