The family of a Kirkcaldy mum who died in hospital after post-surgery complications have claimed her treatment was “dangerously incompetent”.
Linda Allan, 59, was admitted to Victoria Hospital in the Fife town after a fall in her garden in October 2019.
Despite successful surgery on her broken knee, complications arose during her recovery and after the use of an anti-inflammatory drug.
She died days later from multi-organ failure after a gastrointestinal bleed.
Review of NHS Fife treatment
One of Linda’s daughters, Shona Adams, 36, said the family want answers.
“It’s absolutely disgusting that a fit healthy woman with a broken knee died within the care of the hospital. We have lost everything,” she said.
“Treatment provided was dangerously incompetent really; a hazardous situation that resulted in our mum’s death which could have been avoided.”
A major internal review of the circumstances by NHS Fife found the bleed may have been at least partly caused by the drug.
The Significant Adverse Event Review (SAER) carried out in March 2020 found a note in her medical records stated she no longer takes the medication, named Naproxen.
The family now hope an upcoming fatal accident inquiry (FAI) will shed more light on alleged failings in Linda’s treatment.
Devastated daughter Sharon Adams, 38, said: “As far as we are concerned, every person that came into contact with our mum failed her.
“Those people should be held accountable and wider lessons need to be learned to improve gaps in NHS processes so this doesn’t happen again and we really hope the FAI will achieve this.”
An FAI is only held when a death is sudden, suspicious, unexpected, accidental or unexplained or which have occurred in circumstances that may give rise to public concern.
The Crown Office took the decision to hold an FAI into Linda’s death after reviewing evidence.
A preliminary hearing will take place on July 8.
What happened during treatment?
Linda had been admitted to Ward 33 at Victoria Hospital after attending A&E on October 15 2019 and underwent surgery two days later.
The surgery to her knee was a success but complications started to appear in the following days.
On October 19, Linda complained of stomach pains which doctors believed to be constipation due to morphine.
The next day, Linda was suffering such severe pain she couldn’t even respond to her daughter’s texts.
Under the belief Linda was improving, hospital staff moved her to a discharge ward in preparation for returning home.
But within hours her condition deteriorated and she suffered a cardiac arrest before being rushed to intensive care.
It emerged Linda’s stomach ulcer burst and was bleeding into her bowel, which in turn sparked multiple organ failure.
Emergency surgery was carried out to stabilise Linda but she was then placed on life-support.
By this time her bowel tissue was already dying — termed necrosis — and medics feared she wouldn’t survive further surgery.
Shocked and devastated daughters Shona and Sharon were left with no choice but to turn off life support and Linda sadly passed away on October 23.
She had been given Naproxen twice a day, resulting in seven doses in total.
Linda’s partner Jamie Duff, 52, said: “When Linda’s ventilator was turned off we were in complete disbelief.
“There was devastation but also anger and a truly crushing feeling.”
NHS Fife extend ‘sincerest condolences’
A spokesperson for NHS Fife said: “NHS Fife is unable to comment on the detail of this case due to existing legal proceedings, and initiation of a fatal accident inquiry.
“We do, however, wish to extend our sincerest condolences to the family involved.”
