Medics missed chance to save our son
HOSPITAL bosses have apologised to the devastated relatives of a young man after medics missed a chance to treat a heart condition that killed him.
Dean Gillespie, from Cheadle Heath, was just 24 when he died from a ruptured aorta in September 2014.
His heartbroken parents, Mark and Sue Gillespie, couldn’t understand how their fit and healthy son died.
It wasn’t until they had access to Dean’s medical records they realised he had been living with an untreated heart condition for more than two years which had been detected when he was scanned at Stepping Hill Hospital in 2012.
HOSPITAL bosses have apologised to the devastated relatives of a young man after medics missed a chance to treat a heart condition that killed him.
Dean Gillespie, from Cheadle Heath, was just 24 when he died from a ruptured aorta in September 2014.
His heartbroken parents, Mark and Sue Gillespie, couldn’t understand how their fit and healthy son died.
It wasn’t until they had access to Dean’s medical records they realised he had been living with an untreated heart condition for more than two years.
They say the narrowing of the aorta had been detected when Dean was scanned for an abdomen wound at Stepping Hill Hospital in 2012.
Mark and Sue claim that information was never shared with Dean or passed on to his GP. They believe if it had, their son could have been treated and would still be here today.
Mark, 56, said it has taken the family more than two years to get answers from bosses at Stepping Hill, who have finally apologised and admitted failings in Dean’s care.
He said: “In that time our family has not been able to grieve for Dean, who was a fantastic son, brother and uncle.”
Dean worked as a scaffolder and went to the gym six days a week.
“In 2012 he’d been involved in an altercation and suffered three stab wounds,” said Mark. “He went to hospital for a scan and apparently that was when they noticed he had a narrowing of the aorta.
“He never told us about it and it was never passed on to his GP. We’ve since learned that usually someone with that condition should have had a stent fitted.”
The night of Dean’s death still haunts Mark and Sue.
“We’d spoken to him earlier that day to ask him what he would like for his tea but he said ‘I don’t want anything, mum. My head is banging.’
“When he came back he said hello and went upstairs. All we heard next was a loud bang. I ran upstairs and he was face down on the floor.”
Mark tried to revive his son before the paramedics arrived and rushed Dean to Stepping Hill Hospital.
Dean died on September 3 in 2014. His family have been pursuing a legal claim over his care ever since.
Mark added: “I want people to be aware of what happened.
“He had a human right to know about his heart condition. You go into those places in good faith you are going to be healed and looked after.
“I would never want people to go through what we have been through.”
Stepping Hill have apologised to Mark and his family. A spokesman for Stockport NHS Foundation Trust said: “An opportunity was missed which could have led to a further examination of Dean’s condition.
“We have written to apologise to Dean’s family and have agreed compensation in recognition of the shortfall in his care.
“We would like to take this opportunity to repeat our sincere apologies, sympathy and condolences to his family and loved ones in this case.”