A terminally-ill man who requires daily infusions of life-preserving drugs was given the incorrect dosage THREE times by nursing staff.
On another occasion Jody de Vos, who is in the latter stages of motor neurone disease, received the WRONG drug. The error left him in severe pain throughout the night.
Jody needs daily drugs that prevent salivation, which can cause choking fits.
The last two months have seen a rapid decline in his condition. In October the 38-year-old was given the shocking news that he had only weeks to live. He is now paralysed in bed at his home in Netherthong and is fighting to stay alive until Christmas.
Jody’s mother Jude Sellmeyer has spoken of her anger and frustration at fundamental mistakes in care that have left Jody with a distrust of visiting nurses.
And she has made a formal complaint to Kirklees health provider Locala, urging it to halt the conveyor belt of district nurses and introduce key health workers for terminally ill patients.
“District nurses are under a hell of a lot of pressure,” said Jude. “There are not enough of them, they cover huge areas and they are run ragged. That’s when mistakes occur. And they are putting Jody at risk.
“My son is not a tickbox or a task. There is only one chance to get it right because someone does not do a dress rehearsal when they are dying.”
Jude describes Jody as “a warrior” whose mind is still alert even though his quality of life is now “very poor.”
She added: “I am absolutely furious. We have done our best but things have happened that have caused distress to someone who is terminally ill with an evil disease.
"This time is crucial for Jody. He is trying to defy the odds. He does not need added fear. And I should be spending time with my son, not having to do this.”
A spokesman for Locala said: “Due to patient confidentiality we cannot discuss the details of individual cases, however we are aware of a number of errors made in the care of Jody.
“Senior managers within Locala have been briefed in detail about everything that has happened, and immediate remedial action has been put in place. We have been working closely with the family and have explained to them the steps that are being taken.
“Whilst we, of course, appreciate that this does not change what has happened in this particular case we are working hard, and reviewing systems and processes, to ensure nothing similar can happen in the future.
“We are also involving partner organisations in this work. Locala is continuing to work closely with Jody’s mother to ensure teams learn from this experience.”
