Hospital 'left woman to die' after cancelled surgeries, family claim

The family of a woman who died after surgeries at Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) were cancelled five times claim the hospital "left her die."

Sarah Crowley's family said the grandmother's death in May 2023 was "heartbreaking and avoidable."

Hospital bosses have now apologised and said "improvements have been made" following the 67-year-old's death.

Her sister, Verity Tebby, made a plea at a public board meeting of University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Trust (UHBW) to prevent such a tragedy happening again.

Mrs Crowley, from Yeovil, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of eye cancer called choroidal malignant melanoma in 2016.

She was referred for surgery at BRI in August 2021 after scans showed the cancer had spread to her liver but that operation and four subsequent dates during the next few weeks were all cancelled, with three of these being after she had been admitted. 

Further scans following that operation revealed her cancer had spread and the only option was a treatment called chemosaturation, which is not funded on the NHS.

In a "desperate attempt to at least live through the summer of 2023", Mrs Crowley opted for a treatment called immunotherapy, which she had been reluctant to have because of the side-effects.

Her sister said that Mrs Crowley was then "not strong enough to endure this" and died after her second course of the treatment.

Mrs Tebby told the UHBW board: “My sister was a gracious and kind person, she saw the good in people, but this was tested during this time. Your hospital admitted to failings and admitted to failing her.    

“You were sorry but that holds no weight when I witnessed first-hand the unbearable, unrelenting, cruel mental torture of someone simply trying to live. The anguish Sarah, her husband and family experienced was heartbreaking and was still avoidable if someone had just bothered.”

The family had set up a GoFundMe page to help fund chemosaturation, which can extend patient’s lives.

The technique works by delivering high levels of chemotherapy directly to the liver while protecting other organs from the drugs, which damage healthy cells.

After funding three courses at the Spire Hospital, Southampton, costing a total of £120,000, the family remained in debt.

Mrs Tebby added: “I can honestly say I am forever changed by these events and will remember your hospital as the one that left my beloved sister to die."

UHBW interim chief executive, Stuart Walker, praised Mrs Tebby for her "hugely honest reflection on her family's experience. It’s important having heard that story on behalf of the organisation that I apologise to you for delays in your sister’s care and for the experience that she encountered.

“We will do everything in our power to prevent a recurrence. A number of lessons have been learned from your sister’s case."