'ONE OF A KIND' DAD DIED IN A HOSPITAL BED AFTER MEDICS MADE SCAN ERROR

A MUCH-LOVED dad died at a Birmingham hospital after medics missed a problem on a CT scan - in part due to a lack of specialist doctors at the site.

- NICK HORNER News Reporter

Mark Villers died at Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield, in May last year after being admitted with severe chest pain.

The 42-year-old mortgage advisor was initially told he was likely to be suffering from an alcohol-induced stomach complaint.

A CT scan was carried out but medics missed abnormalities which, if investigated, would have revealed he had suffered a tear in his aorta, the main artery from the heart.

Birmingham and Solihull coroner Louise Hunt said the missed diagnosis of the aortic tear led to Mr Villers' death.

She said there were insufficient radiologists doctors who check scans to deal with the large number of CT scans undertaken that weekend.

Ms Hunt said that was a 'root cause' why a blockage in blood flow to Mr Villers' kidney was not identified as needing further investigation.

Mr Villers was an 'otherwise fit man' and the kidney issue was an indicator he may have had an issue with his aorta.

A junior doctor said on May 18 that a tear in the aorta 'needed to be ruled out' by a CT angiogram - an X-ray using dye to check blood.