A DEVASTATED husband who accepted an out-of-court settlement for the pain and suffering his wife experienced at the Royal Blackburn Hospital said he hopes she will now finally be able to rest.


Sophoullis Kyriacou pursued a claim against East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust arising out of the circumstances leading to the death of his wife, Maggie, 48, in August 2011 from multiple organ failure.


The dad-of-one claimed during a 10-day hospital stay the care his wife received immediately before her death fell below what he expected.

MORE TOP STORIES:


Although not admitting liability, trust directors agreed an out-of-court settlement.


Mr Kyriacou said he had been fighting for justice for five years and ‘no amount of money could make up for what happened’.


Having been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1992, Mrs Kyriacou started to experience abdominal pain and had her gallbladder removed in 2004. 


However the pain continued and after numerous trips to doctors and the hospital, she was eventually diagnosed with pancreatitis and admitted to the Royal Blackburn Hospital on August 15, 2011. 


She passed away in her husband’s arms 10 days later. 


Mr Kyriacou claims staff insensitively discussed the ‘do not resuscitate’ procedure in earshot of his wife and he raised concerns about decisions made regarding feeding her in the days before she died. 


He said: “Two days before Maggie died she was looking very chirpy. 


“For five years I have been doing this. I have been fighting for her. I just want to close the chapter and let Maggie rest. 


“It won’t bring Maggie back. It was not about the settlement, it was about them admitting they made a mistake.” 


The 54-year-old said he did not consider giving up in the five years it took to reach an agreement. 


“I wanted some closure,” he said. 


“There was a time when I was chasing and chasing, but I am tenacious. 
“I needed to do this for Maggie. I wanted it to be recognised.” 


Mr Kyriacou said his wife suffered pain for eight years despite having her gallbladder removed.


Describing his wife as his soul mate, he said: “Maggie was a pub singer and used to sing in working men’s clubs across the north west and Yorkshire. 


“Everybody loved her. She would do anything for anybody. She was a chirpy Lancashire lass.” 


The pair met in London when she was 19 and working as a social worker before they moved to Lancashire together. 


They married in 1987, settled in Blackburn and had a daughter Nikki, who is now 27. 


Mr Kyriacou, of Sunnybower Close, Blackburn said: “The oldest memories stick, but you cannot delete things and watching her deteriorate and the treatment in the hospital scared me, but I try to focus away from it. 


“You see something on the television and it triggers it off. It is something you learn to live with. 


“You have good days and bad days. Anniversaries and Christmas are hard. There is always that empty feeling. 


“If the hospital had tried to give her the best fighting chance I would say ‘I miss you’, but that was your time. For me, I think these people failed her. 
“It is about finally getting justice after five years. 


“It was 10 days of pain and suffering, but also the many years she suffered before. She did not have a fair chance or fight.” 


A spokeswoman for the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust: “Mr Kyriacou pursued a claim against the trust arising out of the circumstances leading to the death of his wife, Margaret.


“The trust investigated the allegations made and, whilst no admissions of liability were made, a decision was taken to settle the claim amicably rather than proceed to litigation.


“We wish Mr Kyriacou well for the future.”