Latest news with #UniversityHospitalsBirmingham
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Birmingham hospital's lack of radiologists criticised after death
A lack of radiologists on duty was a key factor in the death of a man who went into hospital suffering chest pains, a coroner Villa fan Mark Villers died three days after he sought help while suffering from an unidentified tear in his aorta – the artery carrying blood from his heart – at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, on 21 May Louise Hunt said, in a prevention of future deaths report, his condition went undiagnosed as abnormalities that showed up on a CT scan were not recognised, but should have prompted tests that would have discovered the BBC has approached University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust for a response. Since Mr Villers died, a fundraising page set up for his family has raised more than £33, Stephen Plant said Mr Villers had been a selfless, kind, caring and strong person who had been "striving to make a difference in this world".He said the loyal Villa fan had been a "passionate lover of life". 'Large number of CT scans' The coroner's report described how Mr Villers went to the hospital on 18 May 2024 with a severe chest pain, initially assessed by medics as alcohol-induced gastritis, a digestive CT scan was reported as showing no abnormalities but a review later revealed it had shown problems that, if they had been spotted, further tests would have been carried out and his life could have been 20 May, Mr Villers returned to the hospital and it was thought he had infected gallstones. He stayed overnight and no concerns were noted but an inquest heard he was found collapsed the next morning and could not be resuscitated.A post-mortem examination confirmed the tear in the aorta caused Mr Villers' death. Ms Hunt said the trust investigated and found there were "insufficient radiologists to report the large number of CT scans undertaken over the weekend period" at the time Mr Villers went to said it was "one of the root causes of the very subtle abnormality indicating aortic dissection being missed".Her report said the inquest heard, while the situation had improved at the hospital, the number of radiologists on duty was still not in accordance with Royal College of Radiology (RCR) BBC has contacted the RCR for a comment on what the required staffing levels are. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Failed stem cell transplant contributed to Birmingham death
A coroner has found a failed stem cell transplant contributed to the death of a 54-year-old woman, due to an NHS trust not undertaking appropriate testing on the donor and Doig, who had been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, received a stem cell transplant after a donation from her she had "an extreme reaction" because of a lack of testing by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.A spokesperson for the Trust said a number of actions had been taken in response to her death. The inquest into Mrs Doig's death heard that the haematology department was "understaffed and working beyond its capacity", according to a prevention of future deaths report issued by Birmingham coroner Louise Hunt. A consultant giving evidence confirmed the staffing situation remained the same at the NHS trust in 2025, the report said. Careful testing Mrs Doig had been diagnosed with the rare blood cancer, myelodysplasia, in September 2023 and also had an "aggressive haematological condition", as well as a risk of developing acute myeloid needed a stem cell transplant, which was to be sourced as soon as possible given the risk of progression of her Doig had an unusual antigen type, which the coroner said meant any transfusion or stem cell transplant needed to be carefully tested to avoid coroner said this failed to take place because "there was a failure to appreciate the significance of this testing for Mrs Doig, [and] a communication failure between the hospital and the transfusion service."Mrs Doig received the stem cell transplant on 4 April 2024, but three weeks later, new blood cells had not formed as a result. She was treated in hospital for infection before being discharged at the end of June, she received a double umbilical cord transplant, after which she suffered low-grade fevers and raised inflammatory markers, and was treated for bacteria in the deteriorated, suffering sepsis and multi-organ failure, before having two cardiac arrests on 14 and 16 August and dying at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Multiple causes Tests taken during the last days of her life confirmed that Mrs Doig's underlying condition had progressed to untreatable acute myeloid inquest concluded that there were several contributing factors to her death, including the failed stem cell causes were her underlying blood cancer and acute myeloid leukaemia, contributed to by sepsis due to prolonged immuno-suppression.A spokesperson for the NHS trust said: "The trust extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Mrs Doig and has concluded a comprehensive learning outcomes review into her tragic death. "The trust has taken a number of actions to embed vital learning in response, including a review of consultant and nursing job plans that will allow for dedicated time for transplant planning and multi-disciplinary participation." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'One stop shop' transplant centre opens at Birmingham hospital
A new "one-stop shop" transplant centre has opened at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Edmonds Transplant Centre enables patients to receive all of their care, both prior to and after their operation, in one place, rather than attending appointments in multiple locations across the hospital. Clinical care consultant Nick Murphy said the new £4.2m facility would streamline patient journeys and reduce stress and recovery Vorajee, 44, from Nuneaton, received a life-saving heart transplant at the hospital in 2018 and was among others who welcomed HRH Duchess of Gloucester to the centre during its official opening on Thursday. Mr Vorajee was diagnosed with end-stage heart failure at 37 years old and spent three months in a coma at the QEHB while he waited for a transplant. He said he "owed everything to the heart donor who saved his life". 'All in one location' The new centre, which was funded by the University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, provides patients with pre-transplant consultations, additional fitness classes prior to surgery, support groups and rehabilitation classes after surgery."Patients can come in and see their physician, the surgeon, the transplant coordinators, their psychologist and their dietician all on the same day and in one location," Mr Murphy is one of the leading transplant centres in Europe for heart, liver, lung and kidney surgeries. Mike Hammond from the charity added that the new facility would help the hospital increase the number of transplants it carried out and complete research to make transplants "more successful and last longer". Ben Jeszka received a liver transplant at the QEHB and said he felt "the best he ever had". "I'm swimming, running, going on holidays again, and getting back into work; it's done so much for me," Mr Jeszka years after he received his transplant, Mr Vorajee said he was looking forward to playing table tennis at the World Transplant Games. He added that "with his new heart", he no longer took things for granted. "I feel that it hasn't changed me as a person, but I'm making the most of my new life now thanks to my donor," he said. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Job losses on cards amid Birmingham NHS trust restructuring
Job losses are on the cards for one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, as leaders spell out the financial challenges facing the health service in England. University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust said it was looking at losing about 300 roles as part of cost saving measures this has to make savings of 5%, worth roughly £130m of its £2.6bn annual budget, said chief executive officer Jonathan he added, services would be protected, and a restructuring could see some improvements. The trust cares for more than 2.2 million patients each year, at the four hospitals it runs: Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green, the Queen Elizabeth in Edgbaston, Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield and Solihull losses will come out of 26,000 staff employed across the Brotherton said that engaging staff in the process was asking them for their ideas on how to save the money, they now have 90% of the savings they need to make (£115m), but he said it had not been an easy process."It is going to difficult but it is everywhere. We have to accept it and get on with it.""[We] have engaged thousands of people in helping to identify and generate the ideas and the savings."That isn't just about saving money, it's actually about improving services to patients as well," he added. "Sometimes it's just about being more productive, sometimes it's about changing the way we work with technology, sometimes it's about reconfiguring the way that services are delivered." The announcement comes after an analysis of NHS finances seen exclusively by the BBC revealed some trusts feared they may not be able to pay staff wages. A reliance on temporary staffing had been reduced at the Birmingham trust, added Mr Brotherton, with vacancy levels at their lowest ever. "That's across qualified nursing, doctors, therapists, a whole range of different posts," he added, meaning he could deliver "the same for less". The chief executive, who started working in the ambulance service as a paramedic dealing with patients said he still carried "those core values and experiences through to the decisions that I make today". The Department of Health and Social Care said ministers were determined to tackle inefficiencies and drive-up productivity in the health service, and the emphasis should be on cutting bureaucracy, to invest in front line care. NHS: Painful Decisions will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 18 May at 13:30 and available to listen afterwards on BBC Sounds. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
