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Stroke patient awarded £950,000 damages for blood-thinner delays

BBC Hull Royal InfirmaryBBC
Doctors at Hull Royal Infirmary failed to prescribe to Alan Ablett blood-thinning drugs, which would have prevented him from suffering a stroke in 2014

A former Labour Party official who suffered a stroke after hospital medics "missed several obvious opportunities" to prevent it has been paid £950,000.

Alan Ablett, an ex-local Labour Party chairman, from Beverley, suffered the "life-changing" stroke in October 2014.

His solicitors said doctors failed to prescribe blood-thinning medication during hospital visits in the six weeks prior to the attack.

The hospital's trust apologised and said damages had been agreed.

Mr Ablett, who was 58 at the time, first went to see a GP after returning from a holiday in France when he noticed his speech slurring.

He also said had been dropping things and was feeling weak.

After the appointment, Mr Ablett suffered a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), or mini-stroke, and was urgently admitted to Hull Royal Infirmary (HRI).

He was discharged a week later without any blood-thinning medication, which is used to prevent strokes, his lawyers said.

In the six-week period before his eventual stroke, he was admitted twice and made four other trips to hospital, and suffered a series of mini-strokes before he was finally given blood-thinning medication.

'Give up' chairman role

Solicitor Chris Moore said Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust had, for many years, denied that its "failure to immediately ensure Mr Ablett was prescribed the medication had been a contributory cause of his eventual stroke".

He said there were "several obvious opportunities missed to prescribe anticoagulation medication" and Mr Ablett's care had been below the standard expected.

Mr Ablett, now 65, said he had to give up his role as local Labour Party chairman.

"I simply couldn't follow the meetings," he said.

"The stoke I suffered changed life for me and my wife Elaine as I am simply not able to do what I used to.

"I have issues with my balance and my eyesight and I can't help out around the house like I used to."

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust admitted liability and said it was "pleased to have reached an agreement for damages".

"We would like to reiterate our apology to Mr Ablett and his family," it added.