Woman, 73, in the UK Dies After Medics Check “Do Not Resuscitate” Notice for Wrong Patient

Pat Dawson, a 73-year-old retired nurse from the United Kingdom, died after hospital staff checked the wrong patient’s notes, which had a “do not resuscitate” order in place. Pat had worked as a NHS hospital nurse for 30 years. She was rushed to the Royal Blackburn Hospital’s accident and emergency (A&E) department for the first time with suspected bowel obstruction. The A&E department was under severe pressure, and she was pronounced dead hours later.

An inquest revealed that Pat would have survived if medics hadn’t checked the wrong patient’s notes. Her son, John, expressed his disbelief and claimed that the medical staff had failed his mother. He witnessed the distressing event and was informed about the mistake by a senior nurse after Pat’s passing. It was revealed that the hospital staff had failed to confirm Pat’s identity and had mistakenly checked the notes of an entirely different patient, resulting in the fatal error.

Emergency consultant Dr. Ahmad Alabood acknowledged the mistake and admitted that it was an “honest mistake” due to the busy environment. The court ruled neglect and concluded that Pat would not have died if these mistakes had not occurred. The hospital has since implemented systemic changes after an internal investigation flagged various concerns.