THE BROTHER of a woman who died following a routine operation seven years ago has come a step closure to getting justice for his sister after the two doctors involved admitted to a string of failures in her treatment.
Bernard Bloom has been fighting to uncover the truth about what happened to Carmel Bloom, 54, ever since she died after having a kidney stone removed at the former Bupa hospital (now Spire) in Clayhall in 2002.
He believes poor care from medical staff at the hospital contributed to her death - a view which was finally confirmed at a third inquest into her death held in October 2005.
But now, after spending more than £100,000 of his own money on legal fees to get to the bottom of what happened, the two doctor's involved in her treatment have admitted to making a number of serious errors leading up to her death.
Dr Paul Timmis confessed to all the failures levelled against him during a General Medical Council (GMC) Fitness to Practise hearing - including that he did not intubate or stabilise Mrs Bloom, of Snakes Lane East, Woodford Green, properly for transfer by ambulance to Whipps Cross University Hospital after she became critically ill from a kidney infection.
He also admitted to not making use of the monitoring equipment in the ambulance to keep a check on Ms Bloom's condition and failed to arrange for a skilled assistant to accompany him on the journey.
Dr Timmis admitted that his treatment fell below the standard expected of a reasonably competent consultant anaesthetist, were inappropriate and were not in Mrs Bloom's best interests.
Dr John Hines, a consultant urological surgeon, who carried out the operation admitted he should have recognised that Mrs Bloom had a kidney infection before performing the operation and that he failed to order a repeat blood test to determine her white cell count, a dipstick urine test, a microscopic examination of Ms Bloom's urine or a pre-operative course of antibiotics.
Dr Hines also admitted to not returning to the hospital after a nurse called him to notify him about Mrs Bloom's deteriorating condition, including her falling blood pressure and breathing difficulties.
He denied that surgery should have been delayed so that Ms Bloom could be assessed further, and that she should have been sent to the high dependency unit once the infection had set in.
He further denies that his actions fell below the standard expected of a reasonably competent consultant urological surgeon, were inappropriate, and were not in Ms Bloom's best interests.
Both men deny misconduct or that their fitness to practise medicine is impaired.
Mr Bloom, of High Road, Chigwell, said: "It's an insult that it's taken this long for either of these men to admit to what they did.
"It shows a total disregard to the pain and stress we have been through.
"It seems to be to be cynical in the extreme.
"He (Timmis) could have put his hands up in the first place."
The hearing is scheduled to continue until February 5.
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