Personal Injury Solicitor Lincoln

A woman from Doncaster has died after a foreign NHS doctor failed to notice that she was suffering a heart attack.

Irene Mitchell, from Conisborough, suffered a heart attack after the locum doctor failed to notice the symptoms and sent her home from Doncaster Royal Infirmary without treatment in December 2009.

It is understood that the doctor, Dr Ali Mehri, had been given no induction training by the NHS and failed to read the result of an Electrocardiography (ECG) correctly.

As her condition deteriorated the mum-of-two returned to the hospital again for help three days later.
She was not transferred to the coronary care unit for surgery at the Northern General in Sheffield until two days later, and died on Christmas Day before the surgery could be performed.

Doncaster coroner Nicola Mundy said at an inquest that there was a ‘failure to act upon the ECG’ and that failure to ‘administer urgent treatment’ had contributed to Mrs Mitchell’s death.

Health bosses deny Mrs Mitchell suffered a heart attack but accept she had serious heart problems.

A statement from the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “The inquest into Mrs Mitchell’s death found she had died from the effects of coronary artery atheroma. But the coroner also indicated that, had the abnormal ECG on December 17, 2009, been acted upon, Mrs Mitchell’s life would have been prolonged and she would on balance not have died when she did. We have accepted that verdict and have apologised to the family.

“Dr Ali Mehri started work at DRI on November 23, 2009, coming from a specialist agency. Excellent references were received that put him well within the capabilities of a staff grade role, and able to work without direct supervision.

'Events surrounding this case were investigated in line with NHS Clinical Governance arrangements. The conclusions were shared with the family and an apology from the Trust was given.”

Mrs Mitchell’s family have instructed personal injury solicitors to sue the NHS for medical negligence.

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