A CORONER has recommended that a grieving family seek answers from a hospital for a ‘lack of communication’ as a retired Sellafield steelworker succumbed to an infection contracted following elective spinal surgery six months earlier, an inquest has heard.

Richard Armstrong, 82, died at his home at Jubilee Cottages in Whitehaven on December 1, 2023, a day after being discharged from Newcastle’s RVI hospital.

A statement submitted to Cockermouth Coroner’s Court by Mr Armstrong’s daughter, Sharon, said: “We believe better care could have been taken of my dad. We feel our loved one was neglected.”

Mr Armstrong had undergone an elective spinal operation on June 12, 2023 at the RVI, in an attempt to alleviate his deteriorating condition of spinal stenosis.

A statement by a nurse at the RVI said that Mr Armstrong ‘s surgery was ‘uneventful’, and records said that he was ‘well’ post-operatively, with minimal pain, and was walking with a walking stick.

It said that Mr Armstrong was kept in hospital for four days due to the presence of blood in his urine, but his wound was ‘dry and intact’.

He returned to spinal surgeon Mr Irwin’s clinic at the RVI on July 12 for a follow-up, and according to the statement, he became unwell during the appointment and had a rectal bleed, for which he was admitted to emergency for tests.

Mr Armstrong underwent a wound review on July 18, where evidence of infection was found. He underwent a wound washout on July 20, and was administered with intravenous, followed by oral, antibiotics.

On August 1, a review noted that the wound was ‘dry and had healed well’.

A statement from Mr Irwin said Mr Armstrong’s blood infection markers were normal on August 8.

He said that following this, Mr Armstrong complained of increasing back pain, to the point where he was admitted to the West Cumberland Infirmary on November 8, with signs of sepsis and confusion.

His condition continued to deteriorate and was transferred back to the RVI on November 16, where his bloods demonstrated an ‘acute kidney injury’.

Tests also showed high infection markers and an abdominal abscess, and he was administered IV antibiotics.

Further investigations revealed endocarditis, and cardiology advised fluid restriction, but according to Mr Irwin, this ‘further exacerbated his renal disease’.

He said: “As such it was clear that his clinical picture was deteriorating.

“After careful discussion with the family and Mr Armstrong, the decision was made to involve the palliative care team and transfer him home with a package of care and to be with his family.

“Throughout this process, Mr Armstrong and his family were fully aware of the situation, how poorly Mr Armstrong was, and the thoughts behind the decisions made."

Family members, attending the court, addressed assistant coroner for Cumbria, Dr Nicholas Shaw. 

They said: “There was no discussion with palliative care. Nobody was informed that death was imminent. Pauline (Mr Armstrong’s wife) was told that he wasn't coming home to die.

“It was very much a shock to her that he passed away after having been told he wasn't coming home to die.” 

Dr Shaw said: “My view is that when he came home, he came home to die. It's nice that he passed away at home and not in the RVI, but that is the only positive to be taken.

“There’s nothing that speaks grossly of such things as neglect to me here. 

“There’s a bit of this, a bit of that, 'possiblies', but I need would-haves, rather than possiblies.

“You certainly have issues with the hospital for not keeping you informed. If they kept you informed, you’d have understood what they were doing and why there’s an infection, and what the chances are of cleaning it. 

“You’d have known all that and be better prepared for what happened.” 

Dr Shaw offered a medical cause of death of multi-organ failure due to infected endocarditis. His conclusion was that Mr Armstrong’s death was due to complications arising from an elective surgical procedure.