1:48pm Thursday 3rd May 2007
WORCESTERSHIRE Royal Hospital has sent its condolences to the family of a man who died after contracting a killer hospital superbug last year.
William Wadley, aged 79, of Fairfield Road, Evesham, spent three weeks in hospital shortly before becoming ill with what was found to be clostridium difficile, a bug he acquired at Worcestershire Royal.
Communications officer Richard Haynes said: "The trust wishes to pass on its condolences to the family of William Wadley. We are also aware of the coroner's verdict that he died from a known complication of antibiotic treatment."
Mr Wadley's GP, Dr Stephen Grant, was condemned by the coroner at an inquest last week for not realising the extent of his elderly patient's illness for more than two weeks, when tests were carried out to find the true cause of the symptoms.
Dr Grant was told his treatment of Mr Wadley with Imodium, the stomach bug remedy available from High Street chemists, was inadequate and inappropriate'.
After confirming Mr Wadley, a retired factory worker, had died from clostridium difficile, pathologist John McCarthy said: "Earlier intervention would almost certainly have made some difference. He would have had a greater chance of recovering had he been treated promptly for the infective process."
However, two other consultants said it was impossible to be sure that Dr Grant's delayed treatment played a part in the death. It was evidence that the coroner said, on balance, took away from him attaching neglect to his verdict.
The coroner recorded a rare narrative verdict which read: "William Wadley died from a known complication of antibiotic treatment - pseudo-membraneuous collitis caused by clostridium difficile."
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