A doctor has been suspended after a mother-of-six died just hours after being diagnosed with sepsis.
Natalie Billingham, 33, died on March 2, just days after went into A&E with excruciating foot pains and flu-like symptoms.
After what Ms Billingham believed was pins and needles left her unable to walk, her husband Stuart claims she was told she could leave A&E at Birmingham’s Sandwell hospital after being given a walking stick.
However the next day, Natalie – who has six children under the age of eight – was rushed to another hospital, Russells Hall in Dudley, in an ambulance.
On March 2, Ms Billingham, from Tipton, Dudley, was put into an induced coma and had her leg amputated as the disease had started to spread throughout her body.
But after the sepsis caused all of her organs except her heart to fail, doctors decided to turn Natalie’s life support.
Natalie Billingham died just hours after she was given a walking stick and told to leave A&E
Her husband had to tell their six children – aged between eight and 10 months – that their mother had passed away.
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust have confirmed that a doctor has been suspended from clinical duties pending the investigation.
Mr Billingham, 37, claims that doctors failed to examine the purple patches on Natalie’s ankle and were delayed in giving her proper medical attention.
Mr Billingham, a former welder, said: ‘While we were at the hospital we were continually asking for help for Natalie, and we didn’t get it.
‘More black, blue and purple marks were forming around her ankle by the second so we knew something was definitely wrong.
‘But it wasn’t until the day after she had got to the A&E department that she received any real treatment, and that was when they were amputating her leg.
‘Her sepsis was spreading rapidly because they had to do three separate amputations on her leg to try and get rid of the disease, but it was too late to save her.
‘Myself, Natalie’s parents and our six children have been massively let down by the hospital and we want answers as to why Natalie was allowed to die.’
Her husband Stuart is angry her complaints about foot pain were not taken more seriously
Mr Billingham, pictured with his wife on their wedding day, says she wasn’t given enough attention by medical staff
Her husband released photos of her final hours as she suffered organ failure in hospital
After complaining that her foot felt ‘floppy’ the day before she was admitted to hospital, Stuart assumed that she was just under the weather.
However, after watching his wife die just hours after her admission, he is now striving for answers as to why his wife of eight years wasn’t seen to sooner.
He said: ‘Natalie thought she would be okay – when she was being taken to the ambulance our daughter asked if she was going to die, and Natalie just said “don’t be silly, I’ll be back”.
‘But when she was in hospital it was evident how much pain she was in, she couldn’t sit still and she was screaming out in pain. I’ve never seen her in this much pain before, she was irritable and in agony.
‘She was usually a very bubbly and happy person, so to see her like this was very unusual.
‘Her ankle was swelling and getting very tight, and she kept on saying that she felt as though her leg was “going to burst”, and all the doctor’s said was that it wouldn’t.
‘I left the hospital for the night to look after our children, and then the next day I got a phone call from the hospital at 3.30pm telling me that they had to rush her into theatre.
‘The next time I saw her she was in an induced coma with her leg amputated, and at 6pm that evening they turned her life support off.’
Ms Billingham had told her daughter ‘don’t be silly, I’ll be back’ as she was taken to hospital
Heartbreaking photos show Ms Billingham being comforted by her father as she lies in hospital
Despite the hospital having suspended one doctor from clinical duties following Mr Billingham’s death, her husband believes that this is not enough.
He said: ‘Although one doctor has been suspended, there were at least 20 doctors or nurses who saw my wife that night.
‘There were many times when they could have stopped and listened to our cries, or even just checked over her properly.’
Julian Hobbs, Medical Director, The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust said: ‘I would like to offer my heartfelt condolences to Stuart Billingham on the tragic loss of his wife Natalie, and I sincerely apologise on behalf of the Trust.
‘Any unexpected death in hospital is referred to the coroner, and we conduct our own internal investigation to see if any lessons can be learned.
‘This case is subject to a full and thorough investigation which I am personally leading.
‘I have met with Stuart and will meet with him again once the investigation has concluded to share the findings with him.’
A doctor has been suspended amid an investigation at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley
Mr Hobbs added: ‘This is a very rare form of sepsis and difficult to diagnose, and we would typically only see three or four cases a year in the hospital.
‘We took immediate action following Natalie’s death. For example, our sepsis team support staff in A&E to spot the signs and take immediate and appropriate action.
‘All our A&E staff have been retrained in sepsis management, and we audit sepsis four times a day so that we can intervene very quickly, if necessary.’
Dr David Carruthers, Medical Director at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust said: ‘We are very sorry to hear of the death of Natalie Billingham and offer our condolences to her family and friends.
‘We have reviewed Natalie’s care when she was examined at our hospital and have shared information with the coroner.’