A 73-year-old grandmother died after she was allegedly turned away from her GP surgery while suffering a heart attack, her devastated family has claimed.
Family's Anguish Over Missed Symptoms
Catherine Brady, from Kelty, Fife, passed away on 17 August 2025. Her family insist staff at Cowdenbeath Medical Practice failed to recognise clear signs of a cardiac emergency on 12 August, despite her known history of heart problems.
Her son, Charles Brady, explained that his mother attended the surgery in acute distress. "She stood at the reception and said, 'I really need to see a doctor urgently, I'm having chest pains. I had a heart attack a couple of years ago and I think it's like that now'," he recounted. Despite this plea, she was not seen and was told to call to book a same-day appointment.
Charles, a regional facilities manager in the care sector, described classic symptoms his mother reported: chest discomfort, pain radiating down her arm, and back ache. "Even basic first aid would have flagged this as an emergency," he stated.
Hospital Admission and Fatal Deterioration
After being sent away, Catherine's husband rushed her to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, where medics confirmed she was having a heart attack. She was later transferred to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, but her condition worsened and she died five days later.
The family felt "disgusted" by the GP practice's initial handling and what they called a deficient internal investigation. Charles claimed the practice could not provide proof that reception staff had been adequately trained to identify medical emergencies, despite stating all staff were trained to listen for "trigger words".
"The investigation was rubbish - I ended up leading them with questions," he said.
Calls for Systemic Change and Escalated Complaint
The Brady family is now considering taking their complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). They are compiling documentation and correspondence for further scrutiny.
Charles believes this was not an isolated incident, alleging a neighbour was also told to make her own way to hospital after presenting at the same practice with chest and arm pain. Following their mother's death, Charles's sister Linda expressed her anger on Facebook, receiving multiple responses suggesting similar issues had occurred repeatedly.
"If this has been ongoing for years, training hasn't been tested and knowledge hasn't been checked. My mum deserved better—and so does everyone who turns up at their GP with urgent symptoms," Charles asserted.
He issued a stark public warning: "If you need urgent care, don't assume your GP surgery will act immediately—go straight to hospital or dial 999."
The family is also calling for more prominent signage at GP surgeries to ensure emergencies are recognised and escalated without delay.
A spokesperson for Fife Health and Social Care Partnership said they take all concerns seriously but do not comment on individual cases. They confirmed the practice had fully investigated and "incorporated learning" from the findings. The partnership did not disclose whether any specific changes to training or emergency procedures had been implemented.
