Woman's search for answers as dad dies in hospital without family knowing he had been admitted

DAUGHTER SAYS SHE IS 'LIVING A NIGHTMARE'

- By TOM KEIGHLEY

Peter Hayes with his granddaughter Emily

THE distraught daughter of an East Yorkshire pensioner who died earlier this year without his family knowing he had been involved in an accident says she is still searching for answers from the NHS.

Emma Hayes only learned her father, Peter Hayes, had spent a week in hospital when she was told over the phone, by a doctor, of his death.

Mr Hayes, 76, who lived in Aldbrough, was involved in a car crash on May 29 and was initially taken to the Emergency Department of Hull Royal Infirmary where he also spent time in the Major Trauma ward and then was later transferred to Castle Hill Hospital. He died a week later on June 5, when his condition suddenly deteriorated.

Ms Hayes, who lives in Preston, had spent the week trying to reach her dad explaining that it was not uncommon for him to go out of contact for short spells of time.

A neighbour of Mr Hayes' had noticed his car was missing from his drive and assumed he was out.

Ms Hayes said: "The first I knew about him being in an accident was when I received a phone call from a doctor saying he had died. This was a week later. So, nobody had cared to tell me that he had been brought in.

"Apparently somebody tried to find my number the day that he was admitted to Hull Royal Infirmary and they couldn't find my number and forgot to pass the message on to the next team. So nobody followed it up," she claimed.