The family of a great-grandad who died in agony after being given seven doses of a drug to which he was allergic have called on hospital bosses to admit the blunder.
Last month the Daily Record revealed that nurse Stephen McLaughlin, 42, had questioned Eddie McCluskey, 88, being given penicillin but was overruled by a doctor. Five nurses continued to administer the medicine.
After our story appeared, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde finally offered the family a meeting to discuss the tragedy.
Eddie’s daughter Diane McCann, 64, said: “We just want someone to stand up and say ‘we’re genuinely sorry’.
“Up to now it has been lip-service. We hope this meeting won’t be another tick box exercise. We want them to hold their hands up and admit what they’ve done.
“They have tried to tell us it didn’t lead to his death but it didn’t just happen. It’s absolutely ridiculous. We just hope finally we will get answers.”
Politicians last night called for the family to be told the truth about Eddie’s death.
Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “What happened to Mr McCluskey was avoidable. That the family have been kept in the dark for so long is simply outrageous.
“The news the health board have offered to meet the family is welcome, but long overdue.
“It’s now time for the family to receive the truth over why Mr McCluskey died and for a full apology from the health board.”
Eddie was given co-amoxiclav which caused his body to break out in a painful rash, which his family say resembled third degree burns.
Health board chiefs said no one made the link between his medication and the rash. But a Record probe revealed a nurse did flag up the possibility of a drug allergy.
It was almost four years after Eddie’s death on January 21, 2017, that the Record met two of his daughters to pass on this information.
His death certificate cites the cause of death as respiratory tract infection and heart failure. His family believe the infection was a result of him being wrongly given antibiotics three weeks before.
Eddie’s daughters are convinced penicillin led to Stevens-Johnson syndrome (S-JS) – a rare condition which can be caused by a severe medicine allergy.
A Significant Incident Review graded the incident “extreme” but failed to mention a nurse at Greenock’s Inverclyde Royal Hospital raised the possibility of a drug allergy after he noticed a rash on Eddie’s groin.
It’s understood the nurse called a doctor and refused to give the medication. But he was called away to deal with another incident and more doses of penicillin were then given to Eddie.
The nurse is thought to have been the only staff member to have been disciplined in the case.
Diane added: “The male nurse has been persecuted but he only popped a couple of tablets in a cup and didn’t give them to him.
“Yet one doctor and five nurses got away with giving him the medication that caused my dad to die in agony. And that’s ok?”
NHSGG&C said: “We offer our condolences to the family and look forward to meeting them to discuss their concerns.”
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