A GRIEVING daughter told an inquest that a hospital had not given her mother the proper standards of care.
Catherine Peers, of Ullswater Road, Ellesmere Port, spoke out at the inquest into the death of her mother, Mary Griffin, at the Countess of Chester Hospital on April 11 last year.
The 80-year-old widow, of Hillfield Road, Little Sutton, died after complications arose from a stoma bag she had after suffering bowel cancer in 2006.
Mrs Griffin was taken to the hospital’s A&E department with a fractured pelvis following a fall when the problems were detected last March.
Mr Maher Hamish performed an operation because parts of her bowel had died, which can prove fatal.
He told the inquest: “We started with an 80-year-old lady with hypotension [low blood pressure], poor kidney function and she was dehydrated. But you feel comfortable that you did as much as you can.
“We don’t know when she would have died but she would have died because of ischemia [restriction in blood supply] and peritonitis.”
Mrs Griffin’s condition deteriorated to the point where the family decided they would not persist with treatment if there was another setback.
But by April 4 she was smiling and speaking to her family again. Mrs Griffin’s condition took a further turn for the worse and she was switched to palliative care, but died at 5pm on April 11 last year.
Ms Peers said: “My mother was left in a mess.”
Mary Griffin was a retired office worker whose husband, William Frederick Griffin, died nine years ago. They had two daughters, Janet and Catherine.
Nicholas Rheinberg gave a verdict of death by natural causes.
He said: “It’s horrible for you to have to go through all of this again. Your grief is obviously still very raw. I’m sorry to have put you through that.
“I do hope you’re able to terms with your loss.”
