Parents to sue after daughter dies in hospital

The parents of a young woman who died the day after she underwent a routine operation are to sue for alleged clinical negligence.

Kathleen Doherty, who was 29 at the time of her death, had had a gallstone removal operation at the Royal Preston Hospital - which is situated in the Fulwood area of the town.

During a recent inquest, it was ruled that poor judgement and failures in communication meant that massive internal bleeding went unspotted.

Doctors had ignored Ms Doherty's pleas for help as she said things like: "I need water, I'm dying."

Recording a narrative verdict, coroner Dr James Adeley said that the social worker's death was caused by a slow post-operative bleed which was not diagnosed due to poor monitoring and record keeping.

In a new development, her family have instructed lawyers to act for them in a civil claim for compensation.

Alastair Campbell, medical director at the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, commented: "The trust would like to express its sincere condolences to the family of Kathleen Doherty and its regret at the circumstances leading to her sad death," the Daily Mail reports.

11/11/2008 16:07