Family share grandmother's 'hospital nightmare' at Wrexham Maelor

On August 25, 2023 - one week after Lilian Evans' 90th birthday - she was admitted to Wrexham Maelor Hospital after a night of vomiting blood.

Lilian, originally from Lancaster, was admitted for a UTI, which wasn't confirmed by any tests, says her granddaughter Rachael Evans, and was given no explanation as to why she was coughing up blood.

She was provided with pain medication which was later replaced with regular paracetamol, much to the family's disapproval.

Lilian Evans (Image: Rachael Evans)

Rachael also claims her grandmother was given penicillin, despite repeatedly informing doctors that she was allergic, which there was no evidence of according to Lilian's records.

Her other medication was kept in an unlocked cabinet, which Rachael requested should be locked to prevent her grandmother and other patients from accessing its contents. However, it remained unlocked. 

On the first night, Lilian was given "bulky pads" to use which didn't close on either side, instead of being allowed to use the bathroom normally, even though she lived independently at home.

Lilian Evans (Image: Rachael Evans)

"It was completely unnecessary", Rachael said. "As soon as they saw her stepping foot out of bed, they put her back in which caused her muscles to weaken. They also took away her walking stick which caused her to have a fall and hit her head."

Rachael says her grandmother was "absolutely mortified" at the way she was treated, which continued throughout her care and treatment despite moving to another ward.

"She would often shout for help to go to the toilet and be ignored. There were three occasions where I had to argue with the nurses to put her on the commode."

Sadly, Lilian passed away on September 20, with the cause of death given as pneumonia.

Lilian with her great-grandchild (Image: Rachael Evans)

Following her death, Rachael requested her grandmother's records which prompted further questions being asked than they answered for the family, already distraught with grief.

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Documents from palliative care suggested Lilian was on an intensive cancer management plan, as well as comments from physiotherapy stating a diagnosis of Parkinson's, and blood tests indicating that she had suffered a heart attack - all of which the family knew nothing about.

One comment suggested Lilian had tested positive for COVID-19 but next to the note in the file it read 'registered in error, please ignore.' Rachael says the family remain unsure as to whether Lilian had actually tested positive, as stated on her death certificate in addition to pneumonia.

As well as this, records stating Lilian died at approximately 10pm showed nurse checks had been carried out at 12.30am, 3am and 6am the following morning.

Rachael continues: "It has impacted our family in a huge way. They completely took away her dignity and it was absolutely heartbreaking to watch.

"We felt like we were in a hospital nightmare as nothing we said or did made any difference. It was awful."

"It's important people do question things if they don't feel it's right", Rachael adds. "It was unbelievable. I genuinely feel if I didn't have the records backing up what I'm saying no one would believe it."

Carol Shillabeer, chief executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: “On behalf of the health board I sincerely apologise to Ms Evans' family for the failures identified in her care and treatment, we fell short of the standard that should be expected."

Lilian's case has been passed on to the Ombudsman.