Grieving mum mistakenly told her dead son had HIV (From Thisisdorset)
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Grieving mum mistakenly told her dead son had HIV
8:25am Friday 19th November 2010 in Latest By Harriet Marsh
Grieving mum Jayne Wright
LUKE Barnes's grieving mother spent 48 hours thinking her dead son had HIV because of a botched blood test.
Just days after finding Luke, 25, drowned in the family’s swimming pool, Jayne Wright was told her “beautiful baby” had tested positive for the disease and was being sent away to a special decontamination unit.
The error, put down to a faulty machine at Poole Hospital, rocked the family to the core.
Jayne said: “The coroner’s officer rang with the news, saying he didn’t know how to tell me.
“I just couldn’t comprehend it. It was awful, we were racking our brains over how he could have got it – if we’d sent him to the grave like that it would have ruined his memory.”
When Luke was dragged from the pool, Jayne and two of his friends tried resuscitating him. His mouth was full of blood and he also had cuts on his face. One of the friends had touched these with an open wound on her hand, and Jayne had a missing tooth.
Jayne from Herbert Road, Bournemouth said: “I’m his mum, and I’ve just lost my son. I don’t care if I’ve got it, but I was so worried about those kids.
“And I was trying to get hold of Luke’s two recent ex-girlfriends parents’ numbers to tell them together. They’re only 22 and 25 – where do you start telling them they might be infected?”
Jayne had just started thinking that maybe this was a better way for Luke to go, happy and healthy, when a second test came back negative.
But she says the hospital has not yet apologised.
“I just still cannot get my head around it,” she said. “I’m horrified and want to know how it happened.
“Somewhere along the line, they should have said sorry for that 48 hours. I don’t want that to ever happen to anybody else.”
Luke’s body being sent off for tests meant those closest to him didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. “We would have all gone to see him every day,” Jayne said. “His older brother Paul wasn’t here when he died, and he still beats himself up that he didn’t get one last moment.”
Luke was later cremated at Bournemouth Crematorium.
A Poole Hospital spokesman said: “We are very sorry to hear of the understandable distress that this issue has caused Mr Barnes’ family.
“We have launched an urgent investigation into the matter and will be in touch with the family directly as soon as that is completed to advise them of the outcome.”
Comments(10)
Nadine28
says...
2:13pm Fri 19 Nov 10
Indeed it was a mistake, one that could have had very serious and tragic consequences. I hope that people get the message that it is not only about an apology, but about making sure no-one EVER goes through this again, and as they still have the same testing equipment, I believe this may well happen.
People may have been told their loved one was HIV positive, laid them to rest thinking they had this when in fact they may well not have. You would never think about contesting it, (as you would expect this to be 100% accurate.) It is beyond words that this could have happened and I think they need to act upon this IMMEDIATELY, don't you?
They told my Mum just as we were going in to Lukie's inquest NOT to mention the HIV in court as it had been dealt with, it had NOT. My Mum did as they asked; but it wasn't just her that wanted answers.
I asked how many tests they do on a body "one, as no more are needed"
Um, I think you may find that they are, to which I got a reply that the equipment was not up to the standard of them in Brighton so it didn't matter if one or three tests where done! Therefore, they should NOT be using this equipment AT ALL.
They took the right away from us all to say our goodbye to Luke; which in it’s self is absolutely unforgivable.
This has not taken away any happy memories of Lukie or stood in the way of our grieving.
I can not put into words what this, on top of losing Luke did to our family and Lukie's friends, so it is about doing what is right and to stop any family EVER having to go through this again.
I hope you understand and agree.
Skyrah
says...
2:33pm Fri 19 Nov 10
I hope you and your family have peace and peace of mind to grieve. And yes, I hope no other family has to go through the same trauma that yours has.
jayniebabes
says...
5:03pm Fri 19 Nov 10
We were cheated from saying goodbye to our Beloved LUKIE thru all of this by the time he came back from Brighton he was decomposing Why ? was he not looked after properly in Brighton because they thought if he was HIV + we couldnt see him anyway.
The whole thing is a shambles and I need to know that no parent, wife , husband brother , sister , child goes thru this again.
The coroner assured us it had nevr happened before but how do they know this ? I didnt ? the result I have faith in our NHS but thankfully our local Coroner did.
Therfore I extend my grattitude to Mr. Young without him my son would have gone to his grave HIV + and we would never have known how why where .
jayniebabes
says...
5:04pm Fri 19 Nov 10
We were cheated from saying goodbye to our Beloved LUKIE thru all of this by the time he came back from Brighton he was decomposing Why ? was he not looked after properly in Brighton because they thought if he was HIV + we couldnt see him anyway.
The whole thing is a shambles and I need to know that no parent, wife , husband brother , sister , child goes thru this again.
The coroner assured us it had nevr happened before but how do they know this ? I didnt ? the result I have faith in our NHS but thankfully our local Coroner did.
Therfore I extend my grattitude to Mr. Young without him my son would have gone to his grave HIV + and we would never have known how why where .
littlebluefish
says...
7:35pm Fri 19 Nov 10
what also cannot be changed is the fact that Lukes family and friends were robbed of the chance to see him at peace and say their goodbyes. we cannot turn back the clock and everyone looks forward and celebrates the life that Luke had, and we count our blessings that he was in our lives if only for a short time.
What MUST be changed however is the chance of this ever ever happening again. this is not about a witch hunt, to track down the perpetrators, but about ensuring that no other family ever has to go through this again, that no one is ever mistakenly denied the chance to say a last goodbye, and that they can lay their loved ones to rest with the reassurance and guarantee that they were looked after well, and treated with the respect they deserve.
finally as an added side comment, if the equipment they use at Poole hospital is faulty and unreliable as we were told, how many unfortunate people who may have had HIV been mis diagnosed as clear and sent to possibly contaminate those who are trusted to attend to them?
NHSReformGroup
says...
12:31am Sat 20 Nov 10
We are a group of 'vexatious complainants' who have lobbied the Government over deaths in hospitals who subsequently tried to fob us off. We've got the Health Committee to hold a Public Inquiry into the shambolic Complaints procedures round here. They have issued a call to all service users to share their experiences of NHS Complaints and Litigation by submitting written evidence to their Inquiry. The deadline for submitting written evidence (around 3,000 words) is noon on Tuesday 21 December 2010: full details are available online at
The Committee are particularly interested in patient's experiences on:
• The effectiveness of the complaints system and reasons for the recent sharp rise in NHS complaints.
• The failure of some Foundation Trusts to report the true number and nature of complaints.
• The effectiveness of the constituent parts of the complaints system: local resolution (supported by the Independent Complaints Advocacy Services); and referral to the Ombudsman.
Make your voice heard!
M. Cook
NHSReformGroup
says...
12:34am Sat 20 Nov 10
We are a group of 'vexatious complainants' who have lobbied the Government over deaths in hospitals who subsequently tried to fob us off. We've got the Health Committee to hold a Public Inquiry into the shambolic Complaints procedures round here. They have issued a call to all service users to share their experiences of NHS Complaints and Litigation by submitting written evidence to their Inquiry. The deadline for submitting written evidence (around 3,000 words) is noon on Tuesday 21 December 2010: full details are available online at www.parliament.uk/bu
siness/committees/co
mmittees-a-z/commons
-select/health-commi
ttee/inquiries/compl
aints-and-litigation
/
The Committee are particularly interested in patient's experiences on:
• The effectiveness of the complaints system and reasons for the recent sharp rise in NHS complaints.
• The failure of some Foundation Trusts to report the true number and nature of complaints.
• The effectiveness of the constituent parts of the complaints system: local resolution (supported by the Independent Complaints Advocacy Services); and referral to the Ombudsman.
Make your voice heard!
M. Cook
NHSReformGroup
says...
12:45am Sat 20 Nov 10
Take part in the Governments' inquiry into the appalling way NHS complainants are treated in this area. Anyone who's suffered can submit written evidence to this Inquiry. The deadline for submitting written evidence (around 3,000 words) is noon on Tuesday 21 December 2010: full details are available online at http://www.parliamen
t.uk/business/commit
tees/committees-a-z/
commons-select/healt
h-committee/inquirie
s/complaints-and-lit
igation/
If you've been fobbed off by the hospitals in this town when you've tried to complain, because you couldnt afford a solicitor, or you just wanted to make sure no other patient's suffered, and got treated like dirt by the wage-protecting management staff, make your voice heard now!
M. Cook
NHS Reform Group (Bournemouth)
http://nhsreformgrou
p.com/
cathyfranklin
says...
10:04am Sat 20 Nov 10
Poole Hospital in my eyes is not fit for purpose, they are still getting things wrong and not learning lessons. They owe this lady an apology and inquiry as to why it went so wrong. I hope this equipment they use is being discarded ASAP. What a thing to happen, but grieving families are not regarded highly enough in this country and a body is just a number to them, we have no compassion or empaty anymore from people who work in these jobs who are meant to be there to help after the death. Poole hospital delayed my sons transfer to southampton hospital by 7 hours which utimely contributed to his death. He was on critacal list but still took 7 hrs, the hospital is a waste of time and i would never send a member of my family there again who needed urgent medical treatment. They need to give Jane an apology on this and i pray to god it doesnt happen again but wont hold my breathe. To go through this grief and then this on top is not something that helps. RIP Luke.
Skyrah says...
1:22pm Fri 19 Nov 10
It was a mistake, a failing of a piece of equipment. No negligence or malice intended. Please don't let the unfortunate incident get in the way of your memory and grief.
At times such as this it can be all to easy to focus on things that make us bitter or angry. I have had a battle with anger and bitterness, and all it does is prolong the grieving and taint the good memories. Remember your son for all the good things and try to forgive and forget those who unintentionally added to your distress.