THE family members of a “vulnerable” mother who died in “severe and unmanaged pain” in Hospital following a gallbladder operation are to due to meet with the Health Minister this week to discuss a new law that gives next-of-kin the right to urgently review treatment for their loved ones.
Susan Jane Brizell (72) – known affectionately by her friends and family as Sue – passed away on Thursday 13 November after hospital staff failed to register “significant signs” that she had become septic several days prior.
At an inquest held at Morier House on Thursday 20 August, acting coroner Dr Deryn Evans found that her family’s “voices were not adequately heard” and their concerns “not listened to” as sepsis took hold.
She recommended that an “established policy or law” to reflect Martha’s Rule – an NHS patient safety initiative that gives next-of-kin the automatic right to a second opinion if their loved ones’ heath is deteriorating – be adopted in Jersey.
“I appreciate that this will require significant resourcing across the hospital,” she said. “But today’s inquest is evidence of the need for something like this.”
Speaking to the JEP, Sue’s daughter, Amanda Littleton – who raised concerns about her mother becoming septic, but was “dismissed” by the staff nurse – is now intent on taking a new law, named “Sue’s Law” after her mother, forward.
Health Minister Tom Binet previously confirmed to the JEP that his department have established a “dedicated task and finish group” to action Dr Evans’ recommendation.
“The intention is to use the NHS core standards for Martha’s Rule as a guide, whilst ensuring that any approach is appropriate for Jersey’s healthcare system and local context,” he said.
However, Ms Littleton says that her family aren’t fully satisfied with the “policy-based” approach advocated by the Health Minister, and are instead seeking to have Sue’s Law become legislation.
The family are meeting the Health Minister later this week, she said, to “understand whether the work under way will remain a Health policy, or whether there may be a scope to take the principle further through legislation”.
Deputy Kirsten Morel, who helped facilitate the meeting between the family and Senator Binet, hopes that the two parties can come together to find the most optimal route forward.
“What I think our first step is, is to find out exactly the work that is being done in the Health department, and for Amanda and her brother John to determine whether to take it further from there,” he said.
Deputy Morel added that he was open to Sue’s Law functioning as a legally binding piece of legislation, as opposed to a policy requirement.
“When I look at this idea as a law, I think it could work well,” he added. “But we are still definitely in the early stages, and it is worth finding out what the Health Department think before we push forward with anything else.”
