Scarborough woman wants answers after being told she is dead

Susan Johnson has been left anxious and is searching for answers

A woman who turned up for a hospital scan only to be told she had already died has demanded an explanation.

Bridlington Hospital staff told Susan Johnson according to their records she had been dead for four months.

The muddle meant the 62-year-old's carer's allowance for looking after disabled husband Bob briefly stopped.

NHS England said it was aware of an issue involving an incorrect civil death registration later rectified by the patient's GP.

Bob Johnson had to steady his wife's nerves with a "strong coffee" after she was told she was dead

Mrs Johnson, from Scarborough, attended her hospital appointment in March 2023.

The mother-of-two said: "I gave them my letter and their first words were, 'ooh you're dead'.

"I said, 'pardon?'. I was in shock.

"Then they put something on the computer so I could have the scan and then they just said, 'bye' and that's it."

Mrs Johnson said the experience left her "shaking like a leaf".

'You're dead'

Husband Bob was "angry" when he heard what had happened and took Mrs Johnson for a coffee to calm her nerves, she said.

The retired housekeeper contacted her GP and was told the mistake had been fixed.

However, when she contacted the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) the bemused call handler told her: "On the computer you're dead".

"I said, 'I'm not, I'm still talking to you'.

"I shut down completely. I didn't talk or anything, I was in my own little bubble," she recalled.

Although her benefits have now been reinstated, Mrs Johnson is still unclear as to how the mistake happened and who was responsible.

She said: "It was very hard, there was no-one to talk to."

Susan Johnson wants closure so she can get on with her life

In a statement Mrs Johnson's GP, Scarborough Medical Group, said they received an electronic instruction from Primary Care Support England (PCSE), who provide services to GPs and other medical professionals indicating she should be removed from their records.

They said as soon as the practice was made aware they took immediate action to resolve the issue with colleagues at PCSE.

PCSE said it was not involved in the issue and was not responsible for registering patients or marking them as deceased which was the responsibility of GP practices.

A spokesperson added that PCSE's involvement was an automated email to the practice once the case had been resolved.

The DWP confirmed benefits were briefly suspended following incorrect notification of Mrs Johnson's death but they had been swiftly reinstated.

It remains unclear who was responsible for sending the instruction to remove Mrs Johnson from her GP's records and who informed DWP.

NHS England said they were aware of an issue involving an incorrect death registration which was rectified by the patient's GP but they do not notify the DWP of a death.

Mrs Johnson, who is now concentrating on her hobbies of gardening and knitting, wants to move on with her life - but still wants answers.

"I need to find out why it happened, how and by whom," she said.

"And that person, whoever has pressed a button, shouldn't be working wherever they are."