Hospital Apology to Yorkshire Womans Family

A hospital in Leeds has apologised to a family after a 67-year-old grandmother died following a series of blunders by medical staff.

Christine Lofthouse died three days after she was admitted to St James's Hospital with a urinary tract infection on New Year's Eve 2010.

Her son 45-year-old Tim Lofthouse, has identified 140 different mistakes made by hospital staff - many related to bank holiday staff shortages.

Mr Lofthouse said failures in his mother's care included failing to administer antibiotics, recording that drugs had been given to her when they had not and leaving her on a trolley for hours.

She was also missed by a consultant.

Mr Lofthouse said an internal report released to him admitted there were significant work pressures over New Year and there were insufficient resources to cope.

A spokesman for Leeds Teaching Hospitals said: "The internal investigation acknowledged that when Mrs Lofthouse was transferred to a ward there were a number of shortcomings relating to record-keeping, medication and observation.

"An action plan was developed to ensure lessons have been learned, and we have kept the family updated on the changes we have made.

"We can confirm that a financial settlement has been mutually agreed and would also repeat our sincere condolences to the family of Mrs Lofthouse."