'Life and death mix-up' Family's grief after former nurse died in A&E after staff read wrong 'Do Not Resuscitate' order

19 April 2024, 14:22 | Updated: 19 April 2024, 14:30

Patricia Dawson died after repeated mistakes in A&E
Patricia Dawson died after repeated mistakes in A&E, an inquest found. Picture: Handout

By Flaminia Luck

The family of a woman from Lancashire who died when hospital staff read the WRONG patient’s “do not resuscitate“ order say they fear the same mistake happening again.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Retired nurse, Patricia Dawson, died at Royal Blackburn hospital last September - an inquest into her death highlighted a series of failings in her care at A&E.

The 73-year-old was fit and healthy, she’d been suffering with sickness and diarrhoea for a few days when she was taken to hospital with a suspected abdominal blockage.

When Mrs Dawson collapsed, staff stopped attempts to resuscitate her following a look at 'her' notes.

Tragically, a mix up meant staff were reading a DNR that belonged to a 91-year-old man.

Patricia Dawson
Patricia with her grandson Harry. Picture: Handout

By the time staff realised their mistake, it was too late, and Patricia had died.

Patricia’s son, John, had accompanied her to hospital, he says at no point did staff double check his mum’s name, gender or patient number. Soon after her death, a senior nurse told him about what had happened, he says it floored him:

“I was in a state of shock, I don’t think I said very much. You think you’d be absolutely livid; I was just stunned by it. How can you mix something up that means life and death and read the wrong person’s records?”.

When Mrs Dawson arrived at Royal Blackburn Hospital on 19th of September, she was greeted by an A&E department in chaos.

That afternoon it had been declared as over-capacity and over-stretched.

More than ninety patients were waiting to be seen. John describes seeing corridors filled with beds, nurses writing patients names on paper towels and confusion about what patients were where.

Mrs Dawson’s family say the pressure staff were under that night undoubtedly led to the series of failings that caused her death.

Read more: Nicola Sturgeon breaks silence after husband Peter Murrell charged in SNP finance probe

Patricia Dawson
Her son said patients weren't seen quickly enough. Picture: Handout

John said: “There were too many patients and not enough staff.

“Patients don’t get seen quickly enough and mistakes happen when people are rushing and not focussing on what they’re doing, but you think even if the wrong notes had been handed over that there’d be a double check”.

“Whatever time you go into A&E, it’s overcapacity, you’ve got an eight hour wait at least. It isn’t a surprise that records are going missing or not being kept properly. We aren’t calling for people to lose their jobs, I do feel for the staff, everyone can see how much pressure they’re under, they aren’t given the backup and things need to change to prevent anything like this happening again”.

“My Mum served the NHS for thirty years and when it was her turn to get something back, she was failed by them”.

At an inquest in Accrington, heard she would have probably survived if medics had not checked the wrong documents.

The coroner ruled neglect and flagged several areas of ‘sub-standard care’ Pat had received, including a failure to record any of the tests carried in the hospital, not following the sepsis and abdominal pathways, and checking the wrong patient’s notes.

Read more: Women urged to contact police over 'misogynistic' Manchester nightlife videos as clips surface from other cities

Patricia with her grandson
Patricia with her grandson. Picture: Handout

'Tragic incident'

In a statement Executive Medical Director and Deputy Chief Executive at East Lancashire Hospitals, Jawad Husain, said the Trust had fully cooperated with and accepted the verdict of the coroner.

"This is a tragic incident that should never have happened and for that we are truly sorry.

"We are grateful that the coroner recognised the difficult circumstances within our Emergency Department, as our team work so hard to provide care for all our patients.

“We know there is nothing we can say to lessen the pain felt by Mrs Dawson's family.

"The Trust has reviewed all the learning from this case, a number of improvements have been identified which have either already been implemented or in the final stages of implementation.”

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Jack Fincham.

Love Island star admits to feeling like a 'failure' after spending '£1 million on drugs, alcohol and gambling'

Westminster Abbey and Church House

Church of England meeting at time of ‘unprecedented crisis’ after scandals and historical abuse claims

The plane was forced to make an emergency landing

easyJet flight forced to make emergency landing after pilot collapses on board

Joel Verite was among the first on the scene of the Southport knife attack where three girls were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party.

Southport hero who came face-to-face with Rudakubana as he rushed to save dying girls says it was 'like a horror film'

Labour vows to punish any other MP or minister caught up in Andrew Gwynne WhatsApp group scandal

Labour vows to punish any MP caught up in Andrew Gwynne WhatsApp group scandal

Donald Trump has spoken to Vladimir Putin

Trump confirms he 'spoke to Putin about ending war in Ukraine' as Russian president 'wants to see people stop dying'

displaced Gazans walking toward Gaza City on January 27, 2025, after crossing the Netzarim corridor from the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli troops withdraw from key militarised corridor that splits Gaza in two as part of ceasefire deal

The bodies of Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were discovered by a neighbour in Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, on Thursday afternoon.

Mysterious death of British couple in French villa suspected murder-suicide as investigators consider new theories

David Schwimmer has called for Elon Musk to ban Kanye West from X

Friends star David Schwimmer calls for Kanye West to be banned from X over 'hate-filled, ignorant' remarks

The NTSB recovers the debris of a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk involved in a mid-air collision near DCA in Arlington, VA.

All major parts of DC plane and Black Hawk helicopter involved in mid-air collision recovered, investigators confirm

A Thai hostage who was freed from Hamas, Pongsak Thaenna, hugs a relative upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport

'We never gave up hope': Freed Thai hostages in tears of joy as they reunite with families after more than a year

Harry and Meghan at the opening ceremony for the Invictus Games.

Meghan and Prince Harry cheer on Team UK at Invictus Games opening ceremony

Daisy the Labrador.

Stolen dog reunited with family after seven years

Irish boxer John Cooney.

Boxer dies from a brain bleed, from injury during championship fight

'Make Europe Great Again' Rally In Madrid

'Make Europe Great Again': Far-right European political leaders praise Trump at Madrid meeting

Kanye West.

Rapper Kanye West advertises t-shirt featuring a Nazi swastika, after 'antisemitic rampage' on X