Daughter's search for answers over mum's death

Pauline Clarke's cause of death was listed as acute pneumonia after her family were told that she had heart failure

A woman has been desperately searching for answers from an NHS hospital trust in the West Midlands after the death of her mother.

Pauline Clarke died at the age of 86 on 25 April following a brief stint in a care home and University Hospital in Coventry.

Her daughter Debbie Poynton has lodged a formal complaint about her mother’s care as she says doctors diagnosed heart failure but her cause of death was later ruled to be acute pneumonia.

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust confirmed it is looking into the complaint.

The 86-year-old was rushed to hospital after experiencing breathing difficulties

Ms Clarke had been living in a care home for two weeks when her daughter received a phone call to say she was struggling to breathe and she was transferred to hospital.

Ms Poynton says doctors informed her that her mother had fluid on the lungs and a chest infection so an echocardiogram and CT scan would be required.

However, only an X-ray was carried out and the 86-year-old was then told she had heart failure and would be discharged as, “there was nothing they could do”, Ms Poynton told the BBC.

She asked a doctor for an update on Ms Clarke’s condition as her son lives in Australia and wanted to fly to the UK to see her, she told BBC CWR.

Debbie Poynton has launched an official complaint about the way her mother was treated

To this, the doctor said Ms Clarke was fine and there was no need to make an urgent journey.

Just four days later, paramedics were called to her care home and she died.

Ms Poynton said: “It was a shock because it was something we hadn’t expected.

“I received a call from the coroner's office to say the cause of death was acute pneumonia and never once at the hospital told us that she had pneumonia.

“Why did the doctors give us different information?

Pauline Clarke's son was told he didn't need to rush from Australia to see her but she died four days later

“The sad part is, within seven days seeing her go from one person to losing her - it’s just heartbreaking for the family.”

“It doesn't matter whether you’re young, old or whatever there is a duty of care that the hospital should have taken.”

The NHS Trust, that runs the hospital, said: “UHCW NHS Trust aims to provide the highest standards of patient care and we would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Mrs Clarke’s family and friends at this difficult time.”