Husband takes action after medical blunders at Sheffield hospital led to wife's death

Edward Hyden, aged 82, of Woodhouse, brought a case against Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust following the death of his wife Margaret.

The case originated in early 2011 when Mrs Hyden was admitted to be treated for a dangerously low level of sodium in her blood.

However she was treated too rapidly and, as a result, went on to develop Locked-in Syndrome, a condition in which a patient is aware but may not be able to move or communicate due to paralysis.

The mother-of-two then spent several lengthy spells in hospital where further errors were made, including a lack of treatment which led to a pressure sore of the most serious grade.

The effects of both these conditions caused her to suffer episodes of depression which required increasing medical attention.

After further time in hospital she developed pneumonia and passed away in January 2014, aged 76.

Following an investigation by Heptonstalls Solicitors, a case was brought against the trust.

Sarah Johnson, of Heptonstalls, said: “This heart breaking case highlights how a string of errors led to the death of a much loved wife and mother.

“Clearly the standard of Mrs Hyden’s treatment fell well below that of which should be expected and the failure to treat her initial condition appropriately led to the deterioration of her health and, ultimately, her death.”

In August this year the trust admitted that elements of Mrs Hyden’s treatment were below standard and settled out of court.

Dr David Throssell, medical director at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We always strive to provide the highest possible care to all our patients and so it is with deep regret that some aspects of Mrs Hyden’s care in 2011 were not as we would have expected and as a consequence contributed to a significant deterioration in her condition.

"We have formally apologised but I would like to reiterate once again how very sorry we are that this happened. We have carried out a full review of Mrs Hyden’s care so that lessons could be learned and as a result of this changes have been made to limit the chances of a similar situation happening again.”

Mr Hyden said: “Heptonstalls were first class. They worked hard, went through every medical record possible and left no stone unturned. They fought very hard for the justice that Margaret deserved.”

Visit www.heptonstalls.co.uk