As part of a new series of client stories, we are humbled to receive this blog from our client Christine Marsden. Christine’s mother sadly died at St James’ Hospital, Leeds, following neglect and a lack of basic medical care.

Here, Christine shares her story…

I write this feeling relieved but also sad. Relieved that this process is finally over but sad that it took my mum to die in so much pain because of neglect and a gross failure to provide basic medical care, to get the justice she deserved. Finally, my mum’s voice has been heard.

Before I found Gareth Naylor of Ison Harrison Solicitors, I had almost given up hope of getting justice for my mum. Despite his case load, Gareth agreed to take on my mum’s case, and it immediately felt like someone had lifted me up. His words to me were ‘we’ve got this, you don’t need to carry this alone anymore’ and boy had he got this!

Over a period of only a few weeks, Gareth prepared his case, found an amazing barrister in Alan Wier of Park Lane Plowden Chambers to present the case at Wakefield Coroners Court in March 2025, where the Coroner returned a verdict of ‘neglect’. That day was momentous. Despite feeling emotionally drained it spurred me on to know that the pain and needless suffering my mum went through whilst in the care of Leeds Hospital Trust would make others sit up and question what had gone so badly wrong. Gareth and Alan restored my faith in human nature, working tirelessly to bring about the only result, the right one. Gareth then took up the case to bring about the civil claim which has been successfully finalised.

Having attended my dad’s inquest a year before, the Coroner made the process less daunting and acknowledged how hard this must be. Gareth and Allan had met ahead of the inquest to discuss what I wanted from this as well as the process. They listened and incorporated where possible the questions I needed answers to, all of which made the inquest more tolerable and less daunting.

The impact this loss has had on our family cannot be described in words. Knowing how hard my mum fought to maintain her life following the death of my dad in 2022, both of her sons in 2018 and 2023 and receiving a diagnosis of dementia in 2018, makes this loss even harder. She never gave up. Mum loved life.

My mum fought with all of her will until her body could no longer endure the pain as the spread of sepsis took hold due to the neglectful lapse in her basic care on her admission to hospital.

It was clear that the culture on the ward meant mum received care that fell well below the minimum standard she should have expected. My mum endured a long period in hospital and I was shocked to see that many staff were unable to make provision for her dementia.  There was little understanding amongst staff in managing her behaviours which were impacted due to the change in environment, being in pain and not being able to relate to her in way that she would trust and therefore comply by taking medication for example. Having her cries ignored when she was clearly in pain, being seen as a bit of a ‘nuisance’ and being told that ‘her pain was in her head’ added to the stress of the situation. All of this was down to a lack of understanding of her mental health condition.

I do not wish it to appear that no staff acted with empathy towards my mum. There were two junior staff in particular who treated mum as if she were their ‘grandma’ – with care, compassion and most importantly understanding and patience when managing her pain and medication.

Patients like my mum with additional needs do not ask to be in this situation, but with a little patience, compassion, and time, working with family members to look at how they can be better supported, will bring about a more positive outcome for both patient and staff alike.

Following the inquest, I received a request from the Head of Nursing at St James’ Hospital to incorporate mum’s case study into a new training package to ensure no other patient ‘fell through the net’ when carrying out initial assessments. This will at least help others in the future although I do not believe that changes to policies and procedures alone will prevent this from happening again. It requires a change in culture to ensure all patients receive quality and consistent care irrespective of their age or disability.

Leeds Hospital Trust have a real opportunity to lead the way in supporting other hospitals to adopt similar practices, so that patients and their families can ‘Trust’ that hospital is really the best place for their loved one and that implementing a ‘Care Passport’ will consider their needs and disabilities and identify ways in helping patients feel safe and secure in what for them is a more scary environment than perhaps for other patients.

Teaching understanding and strategies to best support patients who have limited capacity will ensure a more positive experience for the patient and staff caring for them. Training will allow staff to feel better informed and better equipped to support patients and their families more effectively, which will lead to better health and wellbeing outcomes. Surely this is not too much to ask?

My mum and dad were great advocates for those who did not have a ‘voice’ and I know they will be proud that I am now looking to set up a mechanism to see how I can use my lived experience to raise awareness in hospital settings of how patients with limited capacity or impairment, can be better supported through the adaptation of a ‘Care Passport.’

The outcome of this case I owe to Gareth and his team and I cannot thank them enough. The successful outcome of the Civil claim will allow us to set up a Community Interest Company to help others facing similar challenges and concerns when entering hospital by providing resources to support patients like my mum. This, alongside the changes in practice at St James’ Hospital will give legacy to a wonderful, caring mum, who deserved the best.

‘Sylvias’ Voice’ ‘I am here, I feel, but I cannot always express myself as I used to. Live in my moment, not yours’.

By Christine Marsden