The family of a man who died waiting for life-saving brain surgery at one of the country’s leading hospitals say they’re “furious” the department which treated him is now under rapid investigation.
John Brackenbury died in 2016 after doctors at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge prioritised another patient for treatment.
Despite several recommendations being made after John’s death, whistleblowers at the hospital have told Sky News that changes didn’t happen.
Mr Brackenbury’s daughter, Jenny Dunk, said it’s “despicable” that lessons weren’t learnt from his death.
“Nobody cared, nobody saw dad as a human being, you know, they’re all about kind of looking after themselves and their own egos and protecting each other,” Jenny said.
John was admitted to Addenbrooke’s in November 2016 after suffering a brain haemorrhage, which needed treatment within 48 hours.
His family were initially relieved when he was transferred to the hospital, which has a world-leading neuroscience department.
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But clinicians unexpectedly chose to operate on a different patient.
“We were told that there was an unfortunate sequence of events and they took the wrong person. They took an 85-year-old Mrs B instead of a 70-year-old Mr B,” John’s widow Jean explained.
John’s operation was delayed until the following day, but he died overnight.
His daughter Jenny said: “He was just left in a bed, nil-by-mouth, and abandoned.”
John’s death was avoidable, but his family had to fight for answers and an apology.
His widow describes John’s treatment as “completely cruel”.
“There didn’t seem to be any communication whatsoever between the surgical staff and the ward staff,” Jean said.
An inquest and an investigation by Addenbrooke’s both found failings and made recommendations for the neurosciences team.
But whistleblowers at the hospital told us those changes were not made.
We heard that almost a decade after John died, the toxic culture and disorganisation remain, and that means patient safety is still a problem.
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Sky News recently revealed the trust has ordered a rapid review of the neurosciences service after concerns were raised.
This is the second time we’ve uncovered reviews being ordered into departments at the world-renowned hospital.
An investigation is still under way into the suspended surgeon Kuldeep Stohr after serious issues with some of her operations on children.
Both cases raise questions about whether managers could have acted sooner.
And this is what makes John’s family angry.
His daughter told us: “I’m furious and cross. It feels like his death was in vain. We didn’t want that; we wanted to protect other people.
“The fact that I’m hearing nearly 10 years on nothing has changed, I just think it is absolutely despicable. There’s no accountability,” she said.
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Dr Sue Broster, chief medical officer at Cambridge University Hospitals, said: “We remain saddened by Mr Brackenbury’s death, and our thoughts are with his family.
“We are committed to learning any lessons we can from his family’s experience to improve the service we offer to patients, and would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with his family.
“The trust recognises that our decision to commission an external review into our neurosciences services has caused concern for Mr Brackenbury’s family and for some of our patients, and we are sorry for the distress this has caused.”
John’s family are now considering whether to meet the trust.
