Girl who died of most cancers 'was misdiagnosed on cellphone name with GP'

A lady who died of most cancers may have lived longer had she been given a face-to-face appointment together with her GP, quite than being misdiagnosed over the cellphone, her husband has mentioned.

Laura Barlow, 33, was informed she had endometriosis throughout a phone name with a GP at Stickney Surgical procedure, Lincolnshire, in October 2023.

In February this 12 months, the mother-of-three, from Sibsey, close to Boston, was informed she was so sick she ought to go house from hospital to spend time together with her household. She died three days later.

In a joint assertion, the surgical procedure and United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Belief mentioned they might not touch upon particular person circumstances however would proceed to talk to the household about their issues.

Mrs Barlow’s husband, Mike, is now calling for obligatory face-to-face appointments with GPs.

He believes alternatives have been missed for his spouse to start out therapy for the most cancers in November final 12 months.

“I believe in the event that they’d seen Laura face-to-face they’d have seen how a lot ache she was in,” he mentioned.

“Laura died as a result of she was misdiagnosed over the cellphone. If blood assessments had been performed we would have identified what was taking place.

“Might now we have had extra time? Might the children have had extra time with their mum?“

Mike has additionally informed the BBC that the shortage of an inquest means the household remains to be unsure about precisely what type of most cancers Laura had.

The couple met in 2020 once they have been working collectively at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston.

They moved in along with Mrs Barlow’s daughter, now 10, and had two extra ladies, who’re three and two.

Mrs Barlow initially phoned her GP surgical procedure after discovering blood in her stool. She was identified with endometriosis over the cellphone and given treatment, Mr Barlow mentioned.

An appointment was booked for her to go to the gynaecology division at Pilgrim Hospital in January, however in mid-December, she grew to become sick at work.

Mr Barlow mentioned he had tried to take her to the GP, however was suggested to go to the pressing therapy centre at Pilgrim Hospital.

Nonetheless, in line with Mr Barlow, the hospital mentioned as a result of she was already underneath therapy for endometriosis, there was little they might do.

Mr Barlow believes that had a blood check been taken at both the GP surgical procedure or the hospital, the most cancers may have been found.

On the finish of December, Mrs Barlow went again to A&E. On 2 January, she underwent an ultrasound, when lesions have been discovered.

She was admitted to Pilgrim Hospital in mid-January and acquired a most cancers prognosis. On 2 February, the couple have been informed her situation was untreatable.

“They mentioned: ‘There’s nothing we are able to do. Go house and spend time together with your children,” Mr Barlow recalled.

“All of the household got here and we needed to get the Macmillan nurses to return out. We acquired a mattress made downstairs and had her in there.

“She was mendacity down and I slept together with her. They woke me up and informed me she’d handed away. And that was it.”

Mr Barlow needs GP surgical procedures to see all sufferers face-to-face and hopes a petition, started by a friend, will collect sufficient signatures to be mentioned in Parliament.

Finally, he hopes the federal government will help his proposal.

“I would like that to be what occurs in Laura’s identify,” he mentioned. “We imagine in docs and what they are saying. They’re the consultants.

“They should see sufferers head to head. It should save lives. Individuals are dying as a result of they don’t seem to be being seen.”

Mr Barlow mentioned his spouse at all times put her daughters first.

“Now we have photos of Laura and the children all over the place,” he mentioned. “Each evening when the children go to mattress they cease on the steps and have a look at her photograph and inform mummy they love her.

“The ladies will ask me, ‘what occurred to mum, how did she die?’

“I am unable to give them a solution. I’ve acquired to inform them the reality. Folks failed her’.”

Of their joint assertion, ULHT, which runs Pilgrim Hospital, and Stickney Surgical procedure mentioned: “We’d once more like to supply our deepest condolences to Laura’s household.

“We’re unable to touch upon particular person circumstances however will proceed to talk to the household about their issues as applicable.”

When you’ve got been affected by the problems raised on this article, help is out there through the BBC Action Line.

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