Woman (58) at centre of ‘broken leg’ row dies

A DEVOTED husband says he has been robbed of Christmas with his wife after she died following a “traumatic” week in the Royal Blackburn Hospital.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Nov 2011, 08:40 BST

Mrs Doris Porter was featured in last Friday’s Express when her husband Derek slammed Royal Blackburn Hospital for sending his terminally-ill wife home with only a pillow to support her broken leg. She died at home on Sunday aged 58.

The couple had been “preparing for Christmas” after doctors gave Mrs Porter months to live but now her husband believes her hospital stay was so traumatic it my have contributed to her death.

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Mrs Porter (58) was terminally ill with cervical cancer when she was taken to the hospital’s accident and emergency department after breaking her leg at home in Briercliffe Road.

Mr Porter said: “I feel I have been robbed of an extra few months with my wife. We both knew she was terminally ill with cancer but we were preparing for Christmas.”

He went on: “She was fitted with a splint which had to be removed because it was breaking her skin. Yet, despite promises from staff no other splint was fitted to her broken leg for the remainder of her stay in hospital.

“She was in agony and when paramedics brought her home we found they had put a pillow between her legs. There was also an issue with male patients wandering into her ward which distressed my wife and other patients.”

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Mr Porter, who had been married to Doris for 29 years, also said he was unhappy with the response of the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

He added: “I have been left with a feeling of anger, sadness and a terrible fear this could happen to someone else.”

A former pupil of St Hilda’s RC High, Mrs Porter came to Burnley with her parents from Manchester, as a child. She worked at Elgin and Prestige for 14 years before the couple became housekeepers around the area.

Mr Porter paid tribute to his devoted wife who he said loved dogs, sewing and knitting. The couple also enjoyed holidays to Italy.

Chief Nurse at the Trust Lynn Wissett has contacted Mr Porter, and is due to visit a visit to discuss his late wife’s care.

Her funeral will be held next Thursday at St John’s RC Church, Ivy Street.