‘Horrible sight’ as treatment a cause for concern

Sharon also feels Ian’s outcome may have been different had he been treated sooner by hospital staff.

Ian had repeatedly made health workers aware of his chest pain in the months before his death.

He was admitted to hospital due to the pain a month before he died, but was discharged with medication.

At the time of his death, he had been awaiting an angiogram that would have determined whether he needed a stent fitted. But his appointment letter tragically did not come through until after his death.

“It was awful,” said Sharon. “I had to phone up and cancel it. I just felt sick, and I still do.”

Sharon says the way her husband was treated at hospital after his death caused additional distress to her and her family.

“By the time we got to the hospital at about 8am, he’d died,” she said.

“He was left laying on the bed in A&E in this little side room, with his mouth wide open.

“You could see right down the back of his throat, and he had this big tube sticking out of his mouth.

“A horrible sight. I couldn’t even kiss him.

“Me and my daughter can’t get the sight of him laying there like that out of our heads.

“Every time I go to sleep at night, I can see him laying there with his mouth wide open and this big tube sticking out. It was just the worst experience.”

Responding to Sharon’s concerns, a spokesman for East Kent Hospitals said: “We would like to offer our sympathies to Mr Day’s family after his sad death and would be happy to discuss any concerns they have about his care.

“We sincerely apologise that his appointment letter was received after his death – unfortunately it had already been produced before the information system was updated.”