Family plans legal action over father's death

David Daly died at the Royal Sussex County Hospital following emergency surgery

A woman is planning to take legal action against her local hospital over concerns about her father's death.

Becky Goodchild's father, David Daly, 52, died at the Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH) in Brighton on 19 September 2019 following emergency surgery on a bleed on the brain.

Ms Goodchild said she has a "lot of questions" and she believes there is a possibility her father could still be alive if the hospital had acted differently.

Prof Katie Urch, chief medical officer for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, said their "hearts go out" to his family, adding: "Our door will always remain open if there is anything we can do to provide answers or support."

Mr Daly was a carpenter and enjoyed living a "simple life" with his dogs, his daughter said.

He had been admitted to the RSCH as an emergency on the evening of 10 September 2019.

Earlier that day he had collapsed and been seen at Eastbourne District General Hospital before being transferred to Brighton.

A CT scan showed a large bleed in his brain.

Ms Goodchild wants to know if earlier surgery could have improved her father's chances of survival.

Becky Goodchild said she burst into tears when she first read the report into her father's death

Mr Daly's case was one of the first to be investigated by Sussex Police as part of Operation Bramber - an investigation into alleged malpractice at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Earlier this year the family were told his case was no longer part of that investigation as it did not meet the threshold for prosecution.

Nevertheless, concerned they were not being given Mr Daly's full medical history by the NHS, the family instructed solicitors.

"My only thing is I just want answers," Ms Goodchild said. "I just want to know why these things happened.

"If they did happen and it was negligent, what are their reasons?"

According to the notes Mr Daly's condition had "deteriorated between his presentation at Eastbourne and arrival in Brighton".

His family were told he needed urgent surgery and that there was a "high chance he may not survive", with a "50-60%" chance of death.

But a further report said that while Mr Daly's initial presentation to doctors was "poor" his chance of survival was "still significant".

Becky Goodchild said she and her family have not been able to grieve properly

Ms Goodchild said it was "really difficult to read" that his chances of survival "would be significant had it have been different".

"That was really hard. I burst into tears when I first read that because it makes you think, oh, OK, he should be here potentially.

"I don't think we've had a chance to properly grieve as a family.

"We just feel we need to keep fighting for him really and what's right."

Adam Lamb from Leigh Day is representing the family.

His investigation found "a whistleblower had raised concerns about the treatment and care Mr Daly received, and the poor leadership in the hospital".

He added the whistleblower "suspected that this may have contributed to her father's death".

An internal report by the trust, accessed through Mr Daly's medical records, described being "very concerned" about delays and issues with his care in the hospital's neurosurgery department.

The first surgery did not stop the bleed in the brain and subsequent efforts to stop the bleed were unsuccessful.

The report questioned whether certain procedures had either been done correctly or carried out at all.

The family were concerned to read that the surgeon had not carried out similar surgery that year (2019) and that no surgeon in the department had done more than three or four similar operations during the year.

Professional bodies such as the Royal College of Surgeons have guidelines which encourage surgeons to perform a number of surgeries a year in order to maintain their skills.

Brighton Pavillion MP, Sian Berry said every case she comes across at University Hospitals Sussex "fills me with huge concern".

She said: "I think it's really important that there is much more transparency, and I think more action taken, to restore patient confidence in what's going on in surgery there."

Prof Urch said: "I know that such a traumatic event is devastating for a family, and that the effects of such a loss will still be felt now. Our hearts go out to them.

"I am aware that Mr Daly's family are now exploring a legal claim regarding his care in 2019, so I cannot comment further in public."

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story you can visit BBC Action Line.