NHS hospital apologises after wrongly telling a dying 47-year-old father he had been put on the waiting list for a heart transplant – even though he was too poorly for the life-saving op
- Paddy Brolly, a former bouncer, suffered a heart attack last September
- His daughter, 26, claims he was told he had been placed on the list then
- Medics reportedly said the transplant would give him a ‘fighting chance’
- Though, Mr Brolly has now found out he was never put on the waiting list
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A dying grandfather was wrongly told he had been placed on the waiting list for a heart transplant, it emerged today.
Paddy Brolly, a former bouncer, suffered a heart attack last September and was allegedly told he had been placed on the list then.
Medics reportedly said the transplant, which patients often have to wait years for, would give him a ‘fighting chance’.
The 47-year-old’s daughter, Jenna McIntyre, also claims that he was told he would be placed on the waiting list at the time of his heart attack.
Mr Brolly and his family have now, however, found out he was never put on the list because he was considered to be too poorly.
Paddy Brolly, a former bouncer, suffered a heart attack last September and was allegedly told he had been placed on the list then
Medics reportedly said the transplant, which patients often have to wait years for, would give him a ‘fighting chance’ (pictured with his grandchild Alfie before he was ill)
Mr Brolly, originally from Glasgow, is now receiving palliative care at his daughter’s home in Stevenston, North Ayrshire. He weighs 6st (38kg) and cannot eat or swallow.
The Golden Jubilee National Hospital (GJNH), where he received specialist care, has now said it ‘sincerely apologises’ for the mix-up.
Miss McIntyre, a single mother-of-two, said: ‘I’m so angry. We feel very let down.’ And she asked: ‘How does that happen?’
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She claims after meeting a consultant at the GJNH last month, the family believed Mr Brolly had a chance of receiving a new heart.
Asking how long her father may expect to wait on the transplant list, she said the medic replied stating ‘it was based on certain criteria’.
Miss McIntyre, 26, added: ‘I specifically asked the heart specialist how long the wait would be on February 26.
The Golden Jubilee National Hospital (GJNH), where he received specialist care, has now said it ‘sincerely apologises’ for the mix-up
The 47-year-old’s daughter, Jenna McIntyre, also claims that he was told he would be placed on the waiting list at the time of his heart attack (pictured, a letter stating Mr Brolly was ‘awaiting a heart transplant’
Mr Brolly, originally from Glasgow, is now receiving palliative care at his daughter’s home in Stevenston, North Ayrshire. He weighs 6st (38kg) and cannot eat or swallow (pictured with his granddaughter Eilidh, now seven)
‘The doctor just said that it’s based on certain criteria and it was a waiting game. We left the Golden Jubilee on the Tuesday thinking he was on the transplant list.’
Discussing her father’s condition, Miss McIntyre continued: ‘He’s yellow, it’s like he has got a thin layer of skin on top of a skeleton.
‘He looks nothing like my dad. It just makes you think how many other people are going through this.’
Mr Brolly was initially treated at University Crosshouse Hospital in Ayrshire when he was admitted with a heart attack.
Doctors then transferred him to the GJNH in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, for specialist care when his condition deteriorated.
Miss McIntyre, mother to Eilidh, seven, and Alfie, three, only found out about her the error affecting her father when she was contacted by a newspaper on Friday.
The GJNH has apologised to the family and said clinical staff ‘had a duty to ensure information was understood’.
Mr Brolly was initially treated at University Crosshouse Hospital in Ayrshire when he was admitted with a heart attack (pictured holding Eilidh before his heart attack)
Doctors then transferred him to the GJNH in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, for specialist care when his condition deteriorated (pictured with Alfie and Eilidh before his heart attack)
Mr Brolly is pictured with his daughter Miss McIntyre, believed to be in her home
Mr Brolly – a former bouncer – is pictured with his three-year-old grandson Alfie
Miss McIntyre, mother to Eilidh, seven, and Alfie, three, only found out about her the error affecting her father when she was contacted by a newspaper on Friday
A spokesman for the GJNH said: ‘Similar to all UK transplant centres, the Golden Jubilee follows national eligibility criteria and guidelines for heart transplantation.
‘Following clinical review and assessment, our specialist teams decide whether advance heart failure patients meet the criteria for consideration of registration for a heart transplant.
‘As an NHS Board that is committed to high-quality services, we sincerely apologise if the discussion about the patient’s care and treatment plan was not clear and understandable to the patient.
‘Communication is an important issue in healthcare.’
They added: ‘It is vitally important that patients are aware of the benefits and risks to different treatments and our clinical staff have a duty to ensure that this information is understood.
‘At the Golden Jubilee, we actively encourage all patients, relatives and carers to meet with us and discuss their experience to make sure everyone has clear understanding going forward.”
A spokesman for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, which runs the hospital, said: ‘NHS Ayrshire and Arran is unable to comment on the treatment of individual patients.
‘We would urge Mr Brolly’s family to contact us directly so that we can discuss their concerns.’
The family is now raising £3,000 to fulfil Mr Brolly’s dying wish to be buried in Linn Cemetery, Glasgow, near his childhood home.
Anyone willing to donate can do so here.
WHAT IS HEART FAILURE?
Heart failure means that the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly. It usually occurs because the heart has become too weak or stiff.
Heart failure doesn’t mean your heart has stopped working – it just needs some support to help it work better. It can occur at any age, but is most common in older people.
Heart failure is a long-term condition that tends to get gradually worse over time. It can’t usually be cured, but the symptoms can often be controlled for many years.
The main symptoms of heart failure are:
- breathlessness after activity or at rest
- feeling tired most of the time and finding exercise exhausting
- swollen ankles and legs
Some people also experience other symptoms, such as a persistent cough, a fast heart rate, and dizziness.
Symptoms can develop quickly (acute heart failure) or gradually over weeks or months (chronic heart failure).
See your GP if you experience persistent or gradually worsening symptoms of heart failure.
Source: NHS
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