A Dublin hospital has admitted liability in a High Court action alleging negligence in its treatment of an elderly man who bled to death after an operation.
The family of William Warren (76) alleged he was not properly monitored at Beaumont Hospital after he developed a post operative complication. A “catalogue of sub-standard nursing practices” resulted in his death, they claimed.
Mr Warren, a father of seven from Artane, Dublin, died on August 5th, 2005 from heart failure after experiencing a massive abdominal haemorrhage following an angioplasty procedure on August 4th.
An action brought on behalf of his four daughters, three sons and 12 grandchildren against the hospital alleging negligence and breach of duty was settled at the High Court today.
Mr Justice Vivian Lavan was told the hospital had admitted liability in the case and was consenting to judgment for €40,000 plus costs. The judge approved the award and extended his sympathy to Mr Warren’s family.
The family had alleged grossly substandard nursing care at the hospital and alleged failure to monitor Mr Warren’s condition adequately and to alert the cardiac team of changes in his condition.
It was also alleged the hospital had failed to take into account Mr Warren had suffered a complication during the angioplasty procedure, which involves the mechanical widening of a blood vessel that has narrowed.
Following the ruling, Mr Warren’s family said in a statement there was “a catalogue of substandard nursing practice” observed by many experts who had examined the case.
Stating the action “was never about the money”, the family said they had sued Beaumont Hospital “to ensure that best practice will be put in place so that this will not happen again”.
“We believe that staffing and cuts are a major obstacle to best practice,” they said. “We continue to be devastated by the loss of our beloved father in this way and we hope that by our action someone else’s life will be saved. That’s the way he would have wanted it. We love you Dad.”