Inquest hears of hospital ‘panic’ earlier than mum’s dying

The husband of a lady who died days after being mistakenly overdosed with paracetamol in hospital sobbed in courtroom as he described her last days.

Laura Higginson, 30, who died on 19 April 2017 at Whiston Hospital in Prescot, Merseyside, had a uncommon and critical genetic situation which, her inquest heard, meant she was very underweight and will have been given a decrease dose.

Dr Antony Higginson stated he solely discovered concerning the dosage error months later, when his GP supplied him with a replica of his late spouse’s autopsy report.

Whiston Hospital, which has beforehand admitted administering an excessive amount of paracetamol intravenously over the course of two days, stated it had instantly given Mrs Higginson an antidote and that it had not triggered her dying.

At Mrs Higginson’s inquest, sitting in Bootle, Dr Higginson informed the coroner that his spouse had vomited blood and turned yellow following the overdose.

Dr Higginson described “plenty of shouting occurring on the nursing station”, including there was “panic”.

The inquest heard Mrs Higginson had arrived on the hospital’s emergency division two days earlier after feeling sick and coughing up a brown substance.

Her husband stated they’d visited A&E on a number of events due to her kidney and liver issues.

Mrs Higginson had been identified with Gitelmam Syndrome in 2010, and had commonly wanted infusions of potassium and magnesium.

Dr Higginson stated she had walked into the hospital for her final go to, on 5 April 2017.

“It was only a regular, routine factor we’d executed many occasions earlier than,” he stated.

Dr Higginson informed the courtroom his spouse had obtained the primary dose whereas he was nonetheless along with her, and it was determined she could be stored in for monitoring.

“She wished to return residence and I used to be like – you’re in the very best place,” he stated.

“I want I’d by no means executed that.”

Dr Higginson stated his spouse had rung him on the morning of seven April to say she didn’t really feel effectively.

She stated her abdomen was distended “like I’m pregnant”, that her pores and skin was yellow, and that she was coughing up blood.

“She stated, ‘Something’s not proper… simply get right here’,” Dr Higginson informed the inquest.

He stated he arrived on the hospital to search out his spouse exhausted and vomiting blood.

Dr Higginson stated he had heard the shouting and sensed “panic” when he went to get extra sick bowls from the nurses’ station.

The inquest heard Mrs Higginson was transferred to intensive care, the place she continued to deteriorate.

Her household was informed that she had suspected sepsis.

She started to hallucinate and rip out the tubes going into her physique, and was put into an induced coma.

Dr Higginson stated he had left his spouse along with her dad and mom hours earlier so he may take their younger youngsters residence.

He broke down as he described a cellphone name from his spouse’s mom.

“I simply heard this howl from her, this blood-curdling sound.

“She simply burst out crying and stated, ‘She’s gone’.”

The hospital carried out a autopsy examination to attempt to discover the supply of the sepsis and issued a dying certificates.

Several months later Dr Higginson went to his GP for antidepressants as a result of he was “struggling”.

He stated that throughout the course of the appointment he informed the GP that he hadn’t seen the autopsy report, and he was then given a replica.

“I learn staggered paracetamol overdose and I used to be like, ‘Oh my God’,” he stated.

“My world was spinning.”

The belief beforehand stated that as quickly because it was realised the dose was incorrect, she was given the antidote.

The belief’s investigation into Ms Higginson’s dying confirmed that the impact was “transient”, and the belief stated it didn’t contribute to her dying.

The inquest, at Bootle Town Hall, heard that in 2017 sufferers weren’t weighed within the emergency division, and weren’t requested their weight.

This occurred solely after they have been admitted to a ward.

Mrs Higginson’s authentic prescription for paracetamol was written when she was nonetheless within the emergency division.

The mistake was noticed on 7 April by Rachel Brown, then a junior pharmacist, who was reviewing Mrs Higginson’s treatment.

By that stage she had already obtained six doses.

Ms Brown was requested by Henry Pithers KC, appearing for the household, if there had been a lack of knowledge amongst nursing workers about dosing for various physique weights.

She stated the system had been modified in 2018/19 after Mrs Higginson’s dying, and there had been extra coaching.

The listening to continues.