A&E did not get the basics right - now my son's life is ruined at 32

Oli Coppock's life was irreparably damaged after receiving inadequate care in Warrington Hospital's emergency department in May 2024. Initially treated for a brain tumour and multiple sclerosis, Oli developed fluid build-up in his brain and suffered a cardiac arrest a week later, ultimately leading to almost complete paralysis at the age of 32.

His family asserts that a simple brain scan could have prevented the catastrophe, but it was not administered during his initial visit. Oli's father, Stephen, laments that A&E staff, who are already under immense pressure, failed to recognize the urgency of his condition. Despite the hospital accepting liability for the breach of duty in not ordering the CT scan, the time taken to reach this decision – more than two years – has exacerbated the family's suffering, depriving Oli of critical therapies and support that could have improved his quality of life.

North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust has been forced to accept the error, stating their deep regret for not meeting the standard of care that should have been provided. Oli's case is emblematic of a growing trend of clinical negligence claims in England related to A&E care, with a 41% increase over the past five years.

The BBC's analysis indicates that more than 1,623 A&E-related clinical negligence claims were filed in 2025-26, up from 1,151 in 2020-21, with the NHS spending over £550 million on these claims. Experts attribute this surge to the increasing pressure and long waiting times in emergency departments, which have led to misdiagnoses and serious injuries.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine emphasizes the urgency of addressing these issues, as the rise in claims is a cause for concern, but not surprising given the current workload and staffing challenges. Despite NHS efforts to improve A&E waiting times, the number of clinical negligence claims linked to these departments remains high, highlighting the need for systemic improvements in patient care.