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Alcoholism is a terrible illness that affects many people in the UK. Many alcoholics fail to realise that their drinking is no longer social and has become a problem. Family members and friends may suspect that drinking has become a problem for a loved one long before the affected person will come to terms with it.
Living with an alcoholic can be traumatic. Seeing a loved one suffering and always reaching for the bottle when times get tough is heart-breaking for spouses, children, siblings, and parents. For most parents, seeing your child suffering from any addiction is devastating. Parents will want to move heaven and earth to help their child beat their demons, and they will try to encourage them to get the help they need.
Rehabilitation
When an addicted loved one admits that he or she has a problem and agrees to get help, it can be an enormous relief to the family. They will believe that their loved one is going to get the help they need and that they will finally get back to being the person they once were.
So imagine the devastation a parent would feel when a child enters rehab for alcoholism but never leaves. This is precisely the situation Frank Hughes found himself in when his son Frankie entered rehab to beat his addiction but suffered a fatal fit, which was triggered by withdrawal symptoms.
Death
Frankie was admitted to the specialist alcohol rehab unit, which is run by Turning Point Scotland. He had hoped to quit alcohol but, just six hours later, he suffered a seizure and died. Two experts have told Frank that the carers at the rehab centre may have been guilty of negligence and to blame for his son’s death. It has been discovered that a doctor prescribed medication for Frankie to prevent him suffering a fit, but the carers did not give it to him.
Frank has now initiated legal action and says he believes that Frankie would still be alive now if he had been given the prescribed medication. He is also upset that, on three occasions on the night of Frankie’s death, Turning Point told him that everything was fine, despite having already found Frankie’s body.
He said, “The first I knew of my son dying was when the police knocked on my door the following morning.”
Negligence
A senior doctor who has been consulted over the case said that Turning Point failed to administer diazepam to Frankie and that this ‘significantly increased the chances of developing epileptic seizures‘. He said that Turning Point had recognised that diazepam should have been prescribed but, by failing to do so, were guilty of negligence. Another expert witness agreed.
A spokesperson for Turning Point said, “A report was sent to the fiscal who took no further action and did not find grounds to hold a fatal accident inquiry. Any death in one of our services is a personal tragedy, and we offer our sincere condolences to the family.”
Help for Addiction
Fortunately, cases like that described above are extremely rare. Those suffering from addiction to substances such as alcohol can get help by contacting Rehab Helper. We are a free referral service offering support and advice to those suffering from all types of addiction.
If you or a loved one has an addiction and wants to get better, contact Rehab Helper today. We can provide you with a free comprehensive assessment as well as a referral to an appropriate treatment provider. Our expert advisors will treat your information in the strictest confidence and will ensure you get the help you need.
Source:
- http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/why-boy-die-father-sues-5585016
