The family of a mum who died from bowel cancer after being wrongly discharged from hospital and left in agony for months have received an apology from the NHS. Baljeet Kaur, 56, was twice sent home after she went to A&E displaying symptoms.
She first attended the emergency department with bowel pain before being discharged following an X-ray in January 2019. Baljee returned a month later where another X-ray was taken but she was once again sent on her way.
A mass was finally identified in Baljeet’s abdomen following multiple hospital visits and she underwent surgery to remove part of her bowel in April 2019. She was subsequently diagnosed with bowel cancer but by then it was too late and she died less than a year later in February 2020.
Following Baljeet’s death, her family including daughters, Neetu Kaur, 40, and Amandeep Kaur Bhogal, 38, instructed lawyers to investigate her case. West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust went on to admit Baljeet had twice been discharged in January and February 2019.
Health bosses also agreed that if Baljeet had been diagnosed at that point, she would have avoided two or three months of ‘pain and suffering.’ Her family have now spoken for the first time about their loss after the trust apologised for the failings in her care.
Amandeep said: “To lose mum less than a year after her diagnosis was truly heart-breaking and something we were in no way prepared for. She was the most loving mum and would have done anything for anybody.
"It’s really tough for us to accept that she’s no longer here, particularly after finding out it was terminal just one month after her surgery. Cancer is a terrible disease and it’s taken away one of the most important people in our lives.
"What makes it worse is that we feel like more could have been done to help mum and we feel we raised our concerns several times. We would give anything to have mum back with us, but we know that’s not possible.
"To watch her in so much pain and suffering towards the end was the worst, and all we can hope for now is that by sharing our story we can raise awareness of bowel cancer.
"Catching it early could be the difference between life and death for other families.”
Baljeet first attended hospital on January 17, 2019, complaining of pain, vomiting and bleeding and was seen again on February 22, 2019. Following several subsequent hospital visits, a CT scan in March that year found a mass in her abdomen. She underwent bowel surgery on April 11.
Baljeet received a diagnosis of cancer May 3, 2019. Following further tests, she was referred for palliative care and died on February 22, 2020. The trust later apologised.
Jennifer Shipley, specialist medical lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the family said: “The last two years have understandably been incredibly difficult for Baljeet’s loved ones. Neetu, Amandeep and the family have struggled to come to terms with losing their mum so quickly after her initial symptoms and subsequent diagnosis.
“Their grieving was made worse by all the questions and concerns they had over the care provided to their mum prior to her death, and whether more could have been done to help her. While it’s sadly too late for Baljeet, we welcome the Trust’s admissions.
"It’s now vital that lessons are learned to help prevent others from suffering how Baljeet did. Neetu and Amandeep wanted to share their mum’s story to make others aware of the signs to look out for when it comes to bowel cancer.
"Early detection and treatment is key to beating this disease.”
