Hospital criticised after man's death

Colchester Hospital has been severely criticised by the Essex Coroner for the care given to a man who died after routine surgery.

Caroline Beesly-Murray said that there had been serious failings in the care of 69-year-old David Pattrick who was found in a hospital toilet covered in his own vomit and waste.

The inquest found the hospital had failed to properly supervise trainees, and consultants had not taken responsibilty for individual patients.

Mr Pattrick went into Colchester Hospital for a gall bladder operation. He was told he'd be released the next day, but three days later he was dead.

The day after the operation, David Pattrick had complained of pain, but his complaints weren't acted on. A junior doctor, with just four or five months' experience, didn't ask a more senior doctor for help.

The coronor gave a narrative verdict. Saying there were "serious failings in care". She also found that there was a lack of pre-operative counselling and a failure of consulants to take responsibility for individual patients.

The coroner's comments come at a difficult time for Colchester Hospital. Three weeks ago, it was named as one of a number of hospitals being investigated for having high death rates among patients.