Couple 'failed by staff' at Cumberland Infirmary

Martin and Gillian Digan say the experience has left them traumatised

A husband and wife say they were failed by hospital staff after she was left to look after her spouse through the night while he suffered internal bleeding.

Gillian Digan, 63, was given bedpans and gloves to deal with her husband Martin's bleeding when he was admitted to Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary.

The 61-year-old then suffered a seizure and cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated by doctors in February.

North Cumbria Integrated Care Trust said it was investigating the case.

Mr Digan, from Brampton, was taken ill and admitted to the hospital at about midnight on 5 February, and placed on a drip.

His wife said she was left to look after him until he suffered the seizure at 09:00 GMT and he was then put into an induced coma and taken to the intensive care unit where he spent six days.

"He was admitted straight away and put into a bed and then basically left," Mrs Digan told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"Nobody assisted me up to him having a seizure and a cardiac arrest.

"The doctor in charge said if he didn't have a strong heart he wouldn't have survived."

'Poor communication'

Mr Digan said the experience had left him suffering "flashbacks" and "nightmares".

"The only person who cared and nursed me that night was my wife. Can you imagine how she felt?

"I can't sleep at night. It creates a frustration I can't describe. It's wrong."

The couple received a statutory Duty of Candour letter from the trust dated 22 April, which told them there had been a "patient safety incident" and that it was investigating the timeline of events.

However, Mr Digan said he was unhappy with the trust's subsequent contact and was still awaiting the outcome of the review.

The organisation has apologised for its "poor communication".

It said the investigation was due to be completed this month and the results would be shared with the couple.