Delores Bart, a 56-year-old mother from Wolverhampton, suffered a catastrophic bleed on her brain that was missed by doctors, leaving her unable to speak and paralyzed on her right side. Her son, Leon Bart, 35, said she was sent home with paracetamol and co-codamol despite collapsing and reporting intense headaches.
Initial collapse and missed opportunities
On September 15, 2024, Delores collapsed in her bathroom and was taken to New Cross Hospital by her son. After a three-and-a-half-hour wait, doctors sent her home with instructions to return if pain worsened. Over the next 12 days, she visited her GP twice: first receiving paracetamol, then co-codamol. She also returned to A&E but left after waiting nine-and-a-half hours, fearing missing work.
Collapse and emergency surgery
On September 27, 2024, Delores collapsed outside her grandchildren's school. Rushed to New Cross Hospital, a CT scan revealed a significant brain bleed that had been ongoing for about 12 days. She was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for emergency brain surgery, which involved removing part of her skull.
Long-term impact and care
Almost two years later, Delores can speak only a few words and phrases, such as "cup of tea please" or "open the window," and cannot move her right side. She has aphasia, often struggling to find words. Leon, who took a demotion at work, cares for her full-time, leaving the house only one day a week to go to his office.
Family's response and fundraising
Leon and his sister Charlotte have not filed formal complaints against The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. Leon launched a GoFundMe page to adapt their home for Delores's needs. A trust spokesperson said, "We would be happy to meet with Mrs Bart and her family to discuss any concerns they have over the care she received."
