London, England -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/11/2010 -- On Monday 4 October 2010, Mrs Susan Embleton will go to Winchester Court to bring this case of alleged clinical negligence arising from the medical treatment which her late husband, Mr Mervyn Embleton, known to his friends and family as 'Danny', received at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust (SUHNT). Danny died in a hospice on 17 October 2004 suffering from brain damage known as Leukoencephalopathy, which involves widespread scarring in the brain, loss of personality and thought processes.
In 2002 Danny was diagnosed as suffering from the condition of Lymphoma. He was treated with chemotherapy with a drug called Methotrexate. This was administered into the fluid around the brain and spinal cord and intravenously and he was also given cranial irradiation to his brain.
It is alleged on behalf of Mrs Embleton that: there was an overdosage with Methotrexate; proper consent to the extra treatment was not obtained from Danny; and the doctors should have been aware this treatment combination carried a high risk of Leukoencephalopathy. Further, the effects of the brain damage very significantly impaired the quality of Danny’s final months of life and he needed significant care and assistance from Mrs Embleton.
SUHNT Trust denies the claim and their doctor has stated that this is a 'test case'. They deny that excessive Methotrexate was given and they argue that no alternative treatment was available. The Trust’s position is that: Leukoencephalopathy has other causes; it is not routine practice to warn patients as to the risk of it occurring; nothing more could have been done to prevent the brain damage from progressing; and the treatment given was of a high standard and the development of the complication was unavoidable.
The case is to be heard before His Honour Judge Hughes, the Presiding Judge. Mrs Embleton is represented by Mr John White, of Blake Lapthorn solicitors, and barrister, Mr Paul Dean. SUHNT is represented by Beachcrofts’ solicitors and their barrister is Mr John de Bono. The trial is expected to last four days.
Mr White said: “Mrs Embleton has always believed that her husband was overdosed with the chemotherapy and that this caused his condition of brain damage which made caring for him during the last months of his life so difficult as he became more and more affected by it. The hospital is denying the claim and therefore now the Court must decide."
Daniel Baber
Public Relations Manager, Blake Lapthorn
DDI: 020 7814 5489
Mobile: 07771 930 084
Email: daniel.baber@bllaw.co.uk
http://www.bllaw.co.uk