Hospital apology to woman who lost leg after medical failures

Molly Harbron has spoken of her despair following the amputation of her left leg

A woman who was forced to have her leg amputated due to hospital failings said the experience left her feeling "life wasn't worth living".

Molly Harbron, 25, lost her left leg in April 2020 after medics failed to assess her case properly.

Mrs Harbron, from Batley, West Yorkshire, said: "It was a shock, waking up and just being shown I had no leg. I just broke down and cried."

The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust has apologised for treatment mistakes.

Mrs Harbron, who has type 1 diabetes, went to A&E at Dewsbury Hospital during the initial Covid pandemic lockdown on 25 April 2020 complaining of numbness in her foot and calf pain.

Due to her condition, she had previously experienced diabetic ketoacidosis - a complication which can lead to blood clots.

Doctors suspected deep vein thrombosis and booked her in for surgery at 21:00 BST that evening.

However, the operation did not happen until 13:30 the following day after a transfer to Leeds General Infirmary.

By then, surgeons were unable to save the-then 22-year-old's leg and were later forced to amputate below the knee.

Mrs Harbron said she wanted to prevent others going through what she had to endure

Mrs Harbron, who was alone in hospital due to Covid protocols when she woke up, said: "It was a shock, waking up and just being shown I'd no leg.

"I just broke down and cried. And at that point I wanted to end everything.

"Life wasn't worth living at that moment."

Due to further problems, surgeons were then forced to operate again a few days later, removing the leg above the knee.

The Mid Yorkshire hospitals trust which runs the Dewsbury facility has now apologised and admitted failings in the care of Mrs Harbron.

'Kick in the teeth'

In a letter, they admitted if surgery had taken place earlier her leg may have been saved.

"I'm angry, especially because I know it could have been prevented.

"It's a bit of a kick in the teeth, finding out that.

"It is heart-breaking again just knowing that I could lead a normal life, but because of them I can't," she added.

Mrs Harbron on a night out before she lost her leg

Mrs Harbron now uses both a wheelchair and a prosthetic to get around.

She learnt to walk again, spurred on by the aim of walking down the aisle to marry her fiancé Daniel.

The couple met after the amputation and tied the knot in 2023.

Mrs Harbron said the support from her husband and family had helped her "see that you can get on with things that life throws at you".

"The one thing that I wanted was to be able to walk down the aisle to my husband and I did it.

"I wore my leg all day. I was in a lot of pain, but I got on with it. It was perfect."

Daniel and Molly married in 2023

Mrs Harbron's lawyers at Irwin Mitchell are now negotiating a settlement to cover the impact on her life and to fund rehabilitation and future care.

However, the former carer said she wants to prevent others from going through the despair she felt.

"I don't want it to happen to someone else. They might not have the support that I had."

Richard Robinson, Chief Medical Officer at the Mid Yorkshire hospital trust said they aimed to ensure all patients got the right diagnosis and treatment.

He added: "In Mrs Harbron's case that did not happen and for that I am sincerely sorry.

"Patient safety and achieving the best treatment results is a priority for us and we work continuously to improve."

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