Apology won’t dull wife’s pain

Three years after Francesca Sears’ fit, healthy husband died from pancreatitis, Nelson Marlborough Health has admitted failures in his care.

In May, 2017, the Nelson woman took her husband, Malcolm, to the Nelson Hospital emergency department after he was experiencing severe abdominal pain. It was diagnosed as ‘‘mild to moderate’’ acute pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas.

The 69-year-old died within 48 hours of being admitted to a place where Francesca thought he was ‘‘in good hands’’.

‘‘It’s disgusting.’’ Francesca said the hospital failed her husband on many levels, ‘‘with their inexperienced staff, gross lack of communication not only between hospital staff but also me, his wife, and total indifference to his needs’’.

According to a Health and Disability Commissioner’s report, released this month, Malcolm was admitted to hospital in the early afternoon of May 17. As his condition gradually worsened, he was seen by different doctors and nurses who often failed to write up comprehensive notes on his status.

‘‘NMDHB did not have a system in place that supported good communication between teams and ensured adequate oversight of nursing and junior staff by appropriately senior clinicians,’’ the commissioner found.

He found there was ‘‘a lack of clarity about who had overall responsibility for Mr Sears’ care.’’

It wasn’t until 8am on May 19 that he was moved to intensive care where he suffered a cardiac arrest four hours later and died.

Francesca said there was no indication from any staff that he could die.

‘‘I had no idea I would never see him alive again.’’

Francesca Sears, pictured with her husband, Malcolm

She was with Malcolm’s sisterin-law when they were led to the family room.

‘‘I had no idea I would never see him alive again. To be told by two complete strangers he was dead came as a complete and utter shock.’’

She complained to the commissioner who found the health board had breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights over his care.

‘‘Over the night of 18/19 May, staff failed to recognise Mr Sears’ deterioration adequately and escalate his care in a timely manner,’’ the report said.

‘‘As a result, there was a delay in transferring Mr Sears to ICU and consequently, a missed opportunity for him to receive treatment for his deteriorating condition at an earlier time.’’

In a letter to Francesca Sears this month Nelson Marlborough Health surgical services manager Gillian Champion and head of department Nelson general surgery Susan Seifried apologised

and outlined changes that had been made to avoid the same errors happening again.

‘‘The events of his admission and subsequent passing have clearly been very distressing to yourself and your family and for this we would like to apologise and offer our condolences,’’ it said.

The letter said one of the major changes made was introducing an acute surgeon roster. ‘‘This has been a significant shift in care of our acute patients and was a key learning from the review of your husband’s patient journey.’’

Francesca said the board had ‘‘taken the blame . . . but what’s a life worth?

Francesca met Malcolm when she was 15. The couple had been married for 50 years, Francesca said, and suddenly he was taken away from her without warning when it could have been avoided.

She has since moved to Australia to be close to her children and grandchildren.

‘‘I’m angry because I lost him.’’ She said he was a ‘‘fit, healthy man’’.

‘‘There’d been nothing wrong with him – not a drinker, not a smoker, worked his butt off all day long, went for bike rides, went for walks.

‘‘We got married in the 60s . . . started from nothing. We were tired, we worked our butts off, this was our time.’’