A Brighton man says he needlessly suffered from abscesses, infections and worsening mental health after a hospital failed to pass on his diabetes diagnosis for seven years.
When Mr Y, 68, was admitted to hospital for a rectal abscess surgery in 2015, a diagnosis of type two diabetes was noted in hospital records but was not mentioned to him nor put on documents which went to his GP.
It was only when he submitted a subject access request for his hospital care records in 2022 that the diagnosis came to light.
He has since been told the badly controlled diabetes could have exacerbated his ADHD, which in turn could have made him aggressive and caused meltdowns.
In a letter to the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital, the man’s GP said that the delay in communicating the diagnosis has caused severe stress and discomfort.
In the letter, his GP wrote: “[Mr Y] can exhibit challenging behaviour when distressed and may have a meltdown, but these are due to his recognised medical conditions.
“I understand poorly controlled diabetes can also exacerbate ADHD.
“It is of significant concern that this diagnosis was not shared with us or the patient.
“This has left [Mr Y] in a very vulnerable position and has resulted in a prolonged, severely detrimental impact on his health, wellbeing and quality of life, with consequences still being confronted.”
After his GP diagnosed his diabetes in 2022, Mr Y immediately followed advice and started medications to help reduce his blood sugars and improve his symptoms, and his GP noted that he began feeling more like himself.
His GP wrote: “The difference in his functioning has been significant.
“He has been thinking about, and managing stressful administrative tasks without distress, being able to use his adult social care time as desired, and says he feels like a different person.
“His blood sugar progress has been so positive that one medication has now been halved with a view to removing it completely.”
Mr Y, who has autism, ADHD and personality disorders, made the request for his care records to investigate why the hospital had not made reasonable adjustments, such as having only liquid medication, and why meltdowns related to his mental health conditions were misinterpreted as aggression.
One document gained through this request says: “Diabetic? Yes,” then “Referred to diabetes nurse? No,” and does not complete the “If not, why not?” field.
Since 2015, Mr Y has suffered many medical and mental health symptoms related to untreated diabetes, including repeated infections in his mouth, repeated rectal abscesses and difficulties healing as well as constant pain and discomfort, reduced mobility due to nerve sensations and circulation, and inability to go out due to distress and exhaustion.
Following persistent requests from Mr Y to apologise, the trust inadvertently admitted that it had made an error in not passing on his diabetes diagnosis.
In an email seen by Brighton and Hove News, the trust’s data protection officer said: “The error around your diabetes diagnosis occurred in 2015-16.
“This was prior to the merger of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust (BSUH) and Western Hospitals Trust (WSHT) which became University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust on 1 April, 2021.
“Consequently, process, procedures and services have changed considerably which wasn’t helped with the Covid 19 pandemic.
“Please be assured that my previous statement about the merger is not intended as an excuse, but to allow me to frame our conversation and my responses.”
A trust said: “We are aware of Mr Y’s concerns and take his complaint very seriously.
“As soon as we have his permission to investigate his case, we will do so thoroughly.”
The trust said that there has been investment into patient communications and record keeping in recent years, such as a new electronic patient record system.
Mr Y says that the two named individuals at the trust do already have his permission to investigate his case.
Here we go again, another monumental cock up by this poorly managed hospital. The guys health needlessly suffered for years so when will to top brass be removed and replaced with people who have the experience and capability to run such an organisation competently.
And no doubt after years settle out of court.
What isnt clear from the article is that for seven long and dark years the trust have been and continue to blame me for my behaviours and even use them against me. Even to the extent of going to Sussex Police and complaining that I was harassing the trust with my complaints, and behaviours which were being exacerbated as a result of the trust failings, and juggy eared george was at it as recently as a few days before christmas, spiteful person that he is.
There might be a new records system but if staff dont bother entering the information that they have been given, and given “in recent years” then doesnt matter how bright and shiny your nice new toys are if they arent getting any use.
A clerical error that no doubt was caused by understaffing and poor working conditions.
You have no idea this is the case, it could equally be pure incompetence and management failure.
Very fair point. Incompetence and management weaknesses that are mitigated by better staffing levels and working conditions!
Incompetence is Incompetence and is not determined by staffing levels.
No, not determined. Mitigated.
There was a delay in my hospital discharge notes from Haywards Heath being sent to my GP. I had to photograph them and send to GP. There was a question of one of my medications being discontinued by the hospital. On speaking to surgery this is a common problem. In the electronic age I don’t understand this.
Incompetence is Incompetence it’s not difficult to understand……give it a go.