8:07am Monday 21st December 2009
By Telegraph & Argus
The death of Sheila Vaux from pneumonia is a tragedy for all those who knew and loved her, but it is also more than that.
It is of great concern to us all because it could almost certainly have been prevented if things had been done differently.
Mrs Vaux was not suffering from swine flu but, as a result of the pandemic, some of those responsible for her care assumed that is what she had.
Because of this misdiagnosis, she was not admitted to hospital, where a chest x-ray would have revealed the true problem, and so never received the antibiotics that would have saved her life.
In all likelihood, Government procedures or guidelines surrounding swine flu played a part in this case and they now look deeply flawed.
In light of this tragedy, those procedures should be looked at again, if that has not already happened, so that others are not put at risk.
This episode will also put doubts in people’s minds, so the public needs to be informed of any action that has been or will be taken so that confidence can be restored.
Otherwise some patients will make a beeline for hospitals regardless of what they are told by medics and that would only put extra strain on our already hard-pressed doctors and nurses.
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