Family and trust settle claim over professor's death

Prof Lowe had an academic career spanning more than 40 years

The family of a rural expert has settled a legal claim with an NHS Trust over his death.

Newcastle University professor Philip Lowe OBE died aged 69 in February 2020 after having the wrong operation to treat a twisted bowel.

Leigh Day Solicitors, who represent the Prof Lowe's family, said Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust had "admitted liability for his death and paid a settlement to his widow" after civil action.

The trust "sincerely" apologised to the family and acknowledged the care provided to Prof Lowe was below "the high standards" normally offered.

Prof Lowe, founder of Newcastle University’s Centre for Rural Economy, was first treated in the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH) in Cramlington and then transferred to North Tyneside General to recover, before being sent back to NSECH, where he died.

An inquest in 2021 concluded that a mistaken diagnosis and missed opportunity for treatment directly contributed to Prof Lowe's death.

Leigh Day solicitor Rebecca Ridgeon said no settlement sum would ever "adequately compensate" the family, but "their drive to try to prevent the same errors from happening to someone else in the future" had kept them going.

'Urgent concerns'

Prof Lowe, who was born in Hull, had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2010, but lived independently with his wife of 48 years.

He was admitted to NSECH on 13 February 2020 and diagnosed with a twisted bowel.

The following day, he underwent a decompression procedure to untwist the bowel and was then transferred to North Tyneside to recover.

However, he was wrongly diagnosed as having a "pseudo obstruction" rather than a more serious one which had an increased likelihood of perforation.

On 16 February, following urgent concerns raised by his wife Veronica, Prof Lowe was transferred back to NSECH for another procedure.

The father-of-two died on 17 February with his wife at his bedside.

Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH), where Prof Lowe was treated

Professor Lowe’s daughter, Sylvia Ninkovic said: "We believe that, if our dad had not been transferred between Cramlington and North Tyneside hospitals, or mum’s concerns about his deteriorating condition had been listened to, then he would have received appropriate care and would still be alive today."

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said its hub and spoke model was endorsed by "extensive published clinical research" and its positive outcomes, which included mortality rate, quality of care and patient experience, were "well established".

A spokesperson added: "No settlement is ever enough when a loved one is lost and once again we sincerely apologise to Professor Lowe’s family and all those that knew him.

"We acknowledge that the care we provided to Professor Lowe fell below the high standards of care that we normally offer our patients. Key learnings from investigation findings have enabled us to implement measures to help prevent this from happening again.

"Our sincere condolences remain with Professor Lowe’s family and friends."