A MOTHER of three died alone in her Redditch home after being misdiagnosed with gastroenteritis at the Alexandra Hospital.
An inquest at Stourport Coroners Court earlier this month heard how Paige Colby, understood to have had sepsis, died from ‘a lack of care or self-neglect’.
Ms Colby’s heartbroken friend contacted the Standard about their loved-one’s death after she passed away on March 6, 2019.
She said: “Paige was at the Alex for five weeks because she had lost the use of her lower body.
“She returned home for a while but then her mum phoned for an ambulance as Paige was showing all six signs of sepsis.
“Paige was taken back to the Alex where she spent several hours in the corridor only to be misdiagnosed and sent home, where she died two days later.
“We understand that the hospital is under pressure but that should not result in loved ones losing their lives.”
Sepsis can be a life-threatening condition caused by the body’s response to an infection.
The body normally releases chemicals into the bloodstream to fight it.
However sepsis can occur when the body’s response to these chemicals is out of balance, triggering changes that can damage multiple organ systems.
A spokesperson for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “This is a tragic case and our condolences are with Ms Colby’s family.
“We are very sorry for the shortcomings in the care provided and fully accept the coroner’s verdict.
“We recognise the failings that contributed to Ms Colby’s death and have worked hard to learn from these and put significant improvements in place.”
The trust added that it will be sharing the results of its internal review with Ms Colby’s family.
“We have offered to meet with the family to answer any questions they might have,” the spokesperson added.
