Mother died from multiple organ failure after consulting eight GPs.

Mother died after consulting 8 GPs - Telegraph

Extract:

"The partner of a mother who died from multiple organ failure after contacting eight doctors at an out-of-hours GP service called today for health authorities to sit up and take notice of a damning report into the service.

Penny Campbell, a 41-year-old journalist, died in March 2005 despite six telephone calls and two face-to-face meetings over the course of the four-day Easter weekend with doctors working for an out-of-hours GP service.

As a report published today found there had been a "major systems failure" in the care offered to her, Miss Campbell's partner described the service as an "accident waiting to happen".

He said the failings were the result of people being told to make "ridiculous changes that should never have been implemented in the first place".

"That created situations where safety was compromised and the whole system became an accident waiting to happen," added Mr MacKinnon, also a journalist, who is pursing a civil action over the case.

"The doctors also underperformed and should have compensated for the system. They have individual responsibilities for that."

An investigation into Miss Campbell's death found that she was not offered appropriate care as a result of the actions of a GP and because of problems in how the out-of-hours service was run. "

Many doctors. like these doctors, fail to recognise the seriousness of a patient's condition, especially if the patient is a woman. I regard this case as a glaring example of medical negligence. - Fortunately this particular case, unlike most instances of medical negligence, is receiving the oxygen of publicity.