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Walsall Manor cancer patient died after drip was not replaced for two days

The wife of a cancer patient who died after hospital staff did not replace his IV drip for two days has told of the 'horrific ordeal'.

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George Griffin, from Willenhall, was overcoming bladder cancer after having an operation to remove a tumour followed by bouts of chemotherapy.

The 71-year-old's wife, Joyce, has hit out over the care he received at Walsall Manor Hospital after reaching an out of court settlement with Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust. The trust has not admitted liability, despite the Health Service Ombudsman highlighting a number of failings.

Mr Griffin was admitted to the hospital several months after surgery with abdominal pain and was put on an IV drip. But the former factory foreman's nephrostomy tube, which drains urine from the kidneys, became detached, which meant he was unable to pass fluid for two days.

He became overloaded with fluids, which medical lawyers argued would have put 'excessive strain' on his heart and respiratory system. It was 48 hours before staff noticed and it was replaced.

Mr Griffin's kidneys began to fail and four days after being admitted he suffered a heart attack and died in December 2011.

Mrs Griffin said: "We were married for 47 years and he was my best friend – it is very difficult for us to be without him. We are so disappointed with the treatment George received at Walsall Manor Hospital.

"I have lost all faith in the hospital and even though it is the closest one to me I would never willingly go back there.

"As a family we are incredibly upset the NHS Trust didn't admit responsibility for any element of George's care or death but we hope that highlighting the problems he had at the hospital will ensure that lessons are learned and no other families will have to be put through such a horrific ordeal."

Eleanor Parkin, a specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the family, said: "

When his nephrostomy tube became compromised, hospital staff should have immediately reinserted it."

Amir Khan, medical director at the trust, said: "The Trust always endeavours to provide the highest quality of care to all of its patients."

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