Relatives of Bill Trotter have vowed to continue fighting to expose what they say were serious failings in the care given to the 73-year-old at The Cumberland Infirmary in the weeks before his death. His remains have been in cold storage at a Newcastle hospital for 15 months because his family fear losing evidence that could support their view that his death was avoidable.
Cumbria’s coroner has rejected the family’s repeated pleas for an inquest on the grounds that there was a “natural cause” for the death. But, following months of research, Mr Trotter's son Mike, 47, and daughter Kelly, 42, have uncovered what they say is evidence showing that the death was not natural; they say there were numerous care failings, which they believe triggered his rapid physical decline and the onset of a deadly blood infection.
During his hospital stay, they say, their father endured a litany of clinical failures, including an “unnecessary” leg amputation, misdiagnoses, inadequate wound care, and a delay in fitting a catheter that resulted in 16 days of urinary retention. They are challenging a post-mortem report stating that Mr Trotter (below) went into hospital with an anal fissure – a claim disproved by hospital documentation.
Please follow the links below - to read more about Bill's case, and how his family are working tirelessly to ascertain the truth and accountability.
NHS whistleblower backs Carlisle family demanding hospital death probe | News and Star
Nine month funeral delay as police review hospital death complaint | News and Star