Coroner issues PFD against Milton Keynes Hospital following death of Alex Blewitt from a misdiagnosed perforated bowel

Mr Blewitt had attended the Urgent Care Centre at Milton Keynes Hospital with very severe low abdominal pain. The doctor who reviewed him Urgent Care was very concerned and sent him immediately to A&E at the hospital. But Mr Blewitt was then discharged from A&E with antibiotics for a suspected urinary infection. His condition deteriorated and he went back to A&E two days later. When he was finally admitted into the hospital, was found to have a perforated bowel and sepsis and died following cardiac arrest.

Coroner Dr Sean Cummings concluded that Mr Blewitt's death was avoidable and said he intended to issue a Prevention of Future Deaths report to the trust.

Dr Cummings said in summary that Mr Blewitt attended A&E on the first occasion with a likely acute abdomen. He was sent there by a GP in the nearby Urgent Care Centre. The doctor who saw and assessed Mr Blewitt in the emergency department did not read the Urgent Care Centre communication provided to Mr Blewitt and did not record important factual information in the clinical note. Mr Blewitt was discharged but returned two days later when suffering with sepsis due to a previously undiagnosed bowel perforation.

Dr Cummings added that he intended to make a Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) report and that he was very concerned with the 'laissez faire' attitude of the A&E department regarding the management of Mr Blewitt.

In April 2021, Dr Cummings also issued a Preventing Future Deaths warning to the hospital following the death of 47-year-old Nicholas Rousseau after doctors did not follow sepsis guidance.

Helen Thompson, who is pursuing a medical negligence claim against the hospital trust on behalf of Mr Blewitt's family, said:

"It is unimaginable how painful it was for Mr Blewitt's widow to hear from the coroner that Alex's death was avoidable."