A dedicated NHS nurse died from a devastating stroke just hours after being sent home from a busy A&E department with a misdiagnosis of indigestion, a heartbreaking inquest has heard.
Valerie Kneales, 63, was a highly experienced theatre practitioner at the very same Royal Liverpool University Hospital she attended on March 18, 2022, after suffering from severe dizziness and vomiting.
Tragically, despite her medical expertise and clear symptoms, she was discharged after being told she was likely suffering from a stomach issue.
Her condition rapidly deteriorated at home. Her husband, Michael Kneales, found her collapsed on the bathroom floor later that night. Paramedics rushed her back to the hospital, but it was too late.
Valerie suffered a catastrophic brain stem stroke and passed away two days later, never regaining consciousness.
A 'Missed Opportunity'
The inquest into her death heard compelling evidence that this was a tragic missed opportunity. A consultant neurosurgeon stated that had a stroke been diagnosed during her initial A&E visit, she could have received immediate, life-saving treatment.
Area Coroner Kate Aumonier recorded a narrative conclusion, highlighting a significant failure. She found that "had a neurological assessment been performed, on the balance of probabilities, the stroke would have been identified."
This case has sent shockwaves through the medical community, raising serious questions about patient safety and diagnostic protocols in overstretched emergency departments.
A Family's Anguish
The loss has left Valerie's family devastated. They remember her not just as a skilled nurse who dedicated her life to caring for others, but as a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother.
Her story is a stark and painful reminder of the human cost of medical errors and the critical importance of thorough examination, even for symptoms that may initially appear routine.
