A heartbroken widower has criticised the NHS Trust for missing his wife’s cancer diagnosis, leading to her tragic death. Ron Peacock’s wife, Eileen Peacock, passed away at the age of 72 after being informed she had less than two years to live due to lung cancer. Eileen initially went to Hull Royal Infirmary with chest pains, where scans revealed a concerning ‘density’ between her ribs that required further investigation. However, her symptoms were not looked into further, and the cancer was only discovered after she developed a persistent chesty cough.
Ron expressed his disappointment, stating, “It was a disgrace what happened to Eileen, but I’m determined to get justice for her and to make sure everyone is held accountable for the things that have gone wrong.” He described how their retirement plans were shattered, and Eileen, who worked as a cleaning supervisor, was robbed of enjoying her passion for caring for and riding her horse, Casper.
The hospital’s serious incident review acknowledged multiple missed opportunities to investigate Eileen’s condition following scans in March 2019. Despite undergoing multiple chest x-rays during subsequent hospital admissions, the cancer was not detected until May 2020. Eileen took legal action against the trust with the assistance of Hudgell Solicitors before her passing, resulting in an out-of-court compensation settlement for Ron. However, he criticised the NHS for delays in resolving the case and the impact on their financial situation.
Michelle Tebbutt from Hudgell Solicitors highlighted the devastating consequences of the misdiagnosis and stressed the importance of thorough investigations to prevent such errors. Ron intends to seek further accountability from the NHS and individual healthcare professionals involved in Eileen’s care, emphasising the need for transparency and justice in such cases.
Eileen’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the critical importance of timely and accurate medical diagnosis and the devastating impact that errors in healthcare can have on individuals and their families.