Woman suing trust for up to £300k after sores caused her spine to rot
An NHS patient who developed pressure sores so severe they caused part of her spine to rot away is suing hospital chiefs for up to £300,000 damages.
Christine Reaney, aged 66, was still enjoying an active life, including regularly walking her dog on the common near her Staffordshire home, before developing the condition – which led to several of her bones disintegrating – during a series of hospital stays in 2008 and 2009.
Staff at North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary, Cannock Chase Hospital and Stafford Hospital failed to take appropriate action when the main sore at the base of Mrs Reaney's spine became 'necrotic' and the rot spread from her flesh into her bones, London's High Court heard.
As a result of two joints of her vertebral coccyx being 'destroyed' and corruption spreading into her pelvis and hip, Mrs Reaney, of Burntwood, is now 'bed bound' and cannot even use a wheelchair to get around.
Barrister Charles Feeney, representing the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS trust, told Mr Justice Foskett liability is admitted for the failures which led to Mrs Reaney's injuries.
The pensioner is claiming more than £300,000 in damages and the judge must now decide how much compensation she should receive.
Caroline Hallisey, Mrs Reaney's barrister, told the court that the diabetic pensioner was admitted to the hospitals several times between December 2008 and October 2009 and that signs of pressure sores were first spotted in January 2009, three weeks after her first admission.
However, staff failed to take appropriate measures to stop the sores developing into something far more serious, the barrister said. She told the judge that a 'sacral ulcer' Mrs Reaney developed at the base of her spine became so bad that it ate into the bones of her sacroiliac joint, between her pelvis and hip, and destroyed two joints of her tail bone.
As a result, she now suffers from hip dislocation, cannot sit upright or walk and is confined to her bed.
Mr Feeney, for the NHS Trusts, added: "This is a case of admitted and significant breach of duty." The trusts, however, are disputing the amount of damages Mrs Reaney is due. The hearing continues.
