‘Doctors killed our daughter’... by diagnosing brain tumour as trapped nerve
DOCTORS have been accused of ‘killing’ a woman who died of a brain tumour weeks after being misdiagnosed with trapped nerves.
Amanda Robertson, 40, was taken to hospital four times in nine months after suffering extreme headaches, nosebleeds and vomiting.
Medics reviewed a CT scan and sent her home with painkillers after saying the headaches were caused by trapped nerves in her neck.
Her parents, Caroline and Monty Robertson, begged staff at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, for an MRI scan. But this was only agreed weeks later when her condition worsened.
She died at home six days before the scan was scheduled to be carried out in September 2014.
Watchdogs later ruled medics should have spotted the tumour in the first CT scan and ruled Miss Robertson had a 90 per cent chance of survival if it had been diagnosed.
After winning a legal action against NHS Highland this month, her parents, of Alness, Ross-shire, want to highlight their daughter’s plight. Mrs Robertson, 71, said: ‘It’s hard enough dealing with the death of your child, but when it’s caused by the very professionals who are there to help, it makes it all the worse.
‘Amanda would still be alive if staff at Raigmore simply did their job.
‘As far as we’re concerned NHS Highland killed our daughter and ripped our world apart.’
Miss Robertson, who also suffered from autism, told her GP she had headaches, nose bleeds, balance issues and a suspected lump in the back of her head in 2013.
She was referred to an ear, nose and throat consultant, who removed a nasal ulcer and said sinus issues were the cause of the headaches.
When the headaches returned the same specialist ordered a CT scan and Miss Robertson was given the all-clear in July 2014.
Days later, however, she was readmitted to Raigmore Hospital after the vomiting and headaches continued and her lips turned white. In August, she was seen by an NHS Highland neurologist and diagnosed with a trapped nerve in her neck. After her death the cause was confirmed as a tumour on the central nervous system within the brain.
Mrs Robertson, who was full-time carer for her daughter, said: ‘Seeing her suffer was agonising and left us all in a constant state of fear.’
Mr Robertson, 71, said: ‘Anyone who played a part in Amanda’s death needs to be held to account, at the very least so that standards improve and other families don’t go through what we have.’
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman upheld a complaint by the family.
A report said: ‘There is no doubt if the tumour had been discovered in July or early August it would have been operable.
‘In particular, the tumour in question is a benign tumour which is curable if [Amanda] had been operated on. There would have been a 90 per cent chance of a full recovery.’
NHS Highland was given 11 recommendations to improve patient care and criticised for its ‘lack of focus on the failings’.
Sue Grant, of Digby Brown Solicitors, helped secure an undisclosed settlement for the family after their ‘tragic and traumatic experience’.
A health board spokesman said: ‘We wish to state that we apologised unreservedly to the patient’s family and acknowledged the deficits in care and treatment.’
‘Would still be alive if staff did their job’