A woman has described her horrific experience of having to watch her mother suffer in agony as doctors in the UK misdiagnosed a small bowel obstruction as “food phobia.”
Charlotte Finlay, who lives in Northern Ireland, said her mother was told that her pain was "part of the healing process" and was put down to "psychological issues".
Ann Jones, 69, tragically died on August 24, 2019, from a blocked blood vessel in her bowel, inflammation of the abdominal wall and a blood clot in her lung, not long after having a bowel cancer operation.
An Ombudsman’s report said the case was an “alarming, systemic misdiagnosis”.
The report found “despite conspicuous radiological and clinical evidence,” doctors at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in Bangor, UK wrongly attributed the grandmother’s inability to eat and keep food down after surgery to a “food phobia”.
The mother of three had been suffering from a small bowel obstruction that was missed by doctors.
The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales said doctors failed to “adequately investigate and appropriately treat” Mrs Jones’ abdominal pain and weight loss symptoms.
He also said doctors failed to assess Mrs Jones’ condition accurately before they discharged her without “appropriate home care support in place.”
The Ombudsman also found a secondary cause of death – an ischaemic bowel – which was not identified from scans or investigations.
Denbighshire council has been criticised for not providing appropriate care and responding to the family’s complaints six months after the health board.
The Ombudsman’s report stated: “The Ombudsman could not definitely conclude the failure to identify and treat the SBO meant death was preventable.
“This was because it was unclear whether she could have sustained further surgery, given her frail condition and comorbidities.
“The Ombudsman nevertheless considered this to be an alarming systemic misdiagnosis and considered the uncertainty surrounding whether an opportunity to surgically intervene was list to be, in itself, an injustice to (Mrs Jones) and her family.”
Mrs Jones’ daughter Charlotte said: "The report was quite important for me because I have no stigma of my mum having anorexia. I fought that the whole year because I had all these psychiatric nurses treating my mum as if she was a child.
"Towards the end of July, she was given anti psychotic drugs, but at that time, I was just desperate for them to give her some comfort.
“Mentally, what they put her through is something I'm not sure you ever get over really - it shouldn't have been done to her.
"The reason why we did everything was just to get some answers and justice for our mum - I can't speak highly enough of the Ombudsman really. I can sit and praise the fantastic work the health board has done, but we wanted recognition of the failings."
A spokesman for Denbighshire council said: "We are sincerely sorry for the distress caused to the family of (Mrs Jones) and have provided (her son) with a full written apology following the findings of this report.
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