A family has been on a year-long quest for answers after a 48-year-old mother died following a hysterectomy.

On July 16, 2024, Maxine Spittlehouse attendedKinvara Private Hospital, Rotherham as an NHS patient for a hysterectomy and a seperate procedure, which she was advised to undergo to manage the pain and bleeding caused by fibroids.

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Shortly after the operation she collapsed and was rushed to Rotherham District General Hospital, where she died six days later.

Family members were devastated by the death, none more than her loving husband David and 24-year-old daughter Millie.

Maxine Spittlehouse with husband David and daughter Millie. Following her death, family set-up a petition asking the government to review regulations around hysterectomies in private hospitals. | David Spittlehouse

placeholder image — Maxine Spittlehouse with husband David and daughter Millie. Following her death, family set-up a petition asking the government to review regulations around hysterectomies in private hospitals. | David Spittlehouse

An inquest is to begin on Monday to examine the circumstances surrounding the death.

Following Maxine’s death, her husband and daughter launched a petition calling on the g overnment to review regulation around hysterectomies in private hospitals and pursued legal aid as they worked to get to the bottom of the tragedy that robbed them of their loved one.

Now they hope the inquest will provide those answers.

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It is expected that the inquest will consider the suitability of the surgery, the suitability and preparedness of Kinvara Hospital to carry out such operations and the cause of post-operative bleeding.

Christine Brown, specialist medical negligence solicitor at Medical Solicitors - representing Maxine’s family at the inquest and in their claim for compensation following her death - said private hospitals are increasingly being used to deal with NHS backlogs after the pandemic.

She said: “Waiting list backlogs for non-urgent consultant led treatments remain a huge problem following the pandemic.

“One solution has been for there to be greater use of the private sector, with particular emphasis on joint operations and gynaecological procedures.”

Maxine’s widower, 49-year-old Dave, added: “Maxine went into hospital for what we thought was a routine operation.

“We need to understand what went wrong.”

You can support Dave and Millie’s petition here.

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