A 34-year-old man left paralysed and unable to speak after an A&E doctor dismissed his deadly brain condition as a virus has received an apology and an admission of liability from the NHS trust that runs Warrington Hospital.
Oli Coppock, an aspiring DJ and fitness enthusiast from Warrington, has been non-verbal for more than two years. His body is now twisted and virtually paralysed. He attended Warrington Hospital complaining of dizziness, sickness and a severe headache, even bringing an overnight bag. Despite file notes showing he had undergone brain surgery and radiotherapy months earlier, a doctor dismissed his symptoms and failed to order a CT scan. He was told he had a virus and to go home and take paracetamol.
He later suffered a cardiac arrest after fluid on the brain was discovered from a subsequent CT scan, leaving him with inoperable brain stem damage. His breathing, feeding and toileting are all done through tubes at the rehab centre where he is being cared for, and he has no meaningful ability to move.
Trust admits catalogue of failures
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Warrington Hospital, has admitted liability following an internal report that revealed a catalogue of failures. The trust admitted in its report that had a scan been performed, it would likely have revealed the fluid on his brain, which could have been easily drained, leading to a quick recovery and a normal life.
Oli's father, Stephen Coppock, a former child protection lawyer from Northwich, Cheshire, said hospital bosses were happy for his son to “waste away” in an independent neurological rehab centre for nearly a year following the report before finally admitting wrongdoing. He now hopes his son can access specialist treatment and equipment after an interim payment was agreed following court delays to funding, but fears it could be “too little, too late.”
Oli can now only communicate with his family by blinking yes or no to prompt cards, but they believe he understands everything going on around him.
Family describes “living hell”
Stephen said: “Warrington should hold their heads in shame. As far as I am concerned, the health service that he trusted to protect him has destroyed my boy by failing to do the basics and his life was ruined at 32 now he is a shell of his former self.”
He added: “They robbed him of his life. Every day is like a lifetime for him as his mind is still completely active and he knows exactly what is going on but his body can't respond. His life plans have been obliterated and he is living a permanent nightmare. There is no space worse in the world for a human to occupy.”
Oli's ordeal began in May 2023 when a routine scan for an ongoing diagnosis of MS picked up a small benign growth near his brain stem. After successful surgery in November 2023 and preventative Proton Beam therapy at Christies in Manchester the following year, he was soon back in the gym, enjoying long walks in the Lake District and had landed a weekly DJ residency near his home in Warrington.
In May 2024, a trip to A&E at Warrington Hospital changed everything. He was suffering with dizziness, fatigue and vomiting, but after waiting nearly four hours before being triaged, his symptoms were not taken seriously. Stephen said: “It was obvious something was seriously wrong and it wasn’t just a virus and needed further investigation or at least a scan. I was so angry when they sent him home. Oli knew he was sick. He brought an overnight bag with him as he was fully expecting to be admitted.”
“Prisoner in his own body”
A CT scan at another hospital later revealed Oli had hydrocephalus, a condition where excessive fluid builds up on the brain, requiring several operations. Stephen said if the doctor had ordered a CT scan at the time, it would have revealed the fluid and it would have been a “simple fix.” He added: “They even admitted as such in their report. Oli would now be enjoying meals out with his friends, long walks, seeing his brother play football, going to the gym, Djing and holidays in Ibiza. Instead, he is a prisoner in his own body stuck in a bed staring at the ceiling and can only talk to his family by blinking.”
Stephen said the delays and refusal by the hospital to take accountability had added to his suffering. He said: “This wasn't just a bad day, the hospital just didn’t get the basics right and my son has paid a terrible price and his life as he knew it is essentially over. He trusted them and believed them to keep him safe and now he is stuck in a room virtually paralysed with breathing tubes keeping him alive.”
The internal Patient Safety Incident Investigation report by Warrington Hospital outlined failings including not ordering a CT scan, failing to escalate his case based on past medical history, and not seeking advice from senior colleagues. The trust has taken full liability after the family took legal action, and after court approval last month, an interim payment for specialist care equipment and treatment is being arranged. The trust admitted that a CT scan “should have been performed” and that failing to do so was a “breach of duty,” and that surgery before Oli's “catastrophic deterioration” would have prevented respiratory arrest.
The family's lawyer, Tanzeela Aslam, Head of Medical Negligence at Express Solicitors, said: “Oli’s case illustrates how preventable errors within the NHS can have devastating and life-changing consequences for individuals and their families. The impact of the initial failings was further compounded by delays in the defendant admitting liability. During this time Oli was deprived of access to funds for essential therapies and treatments that could have improved his quality of life. A life that has already been significantly and prematurely shortened as a result of the Defendant’s negligence.”
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are deeply sorry that Mr Coppock did not receive that standard of care that should be expected and we recognise the distress and lasting impact on patients and their families when harm is caused.”
