The family of Sunil Rastogi, 40, from Charlton Hayes, South Gloucestershire, have shared the symptoms he experienced before he died from a suspected cardiac arrest
A dad who was hospitalised with heart palpitations tragically died after he was reportedly “just left on the bed”, before he suffered a suspected cardiac arrest.
Sunil Rastogi, 40, woke up with stomach pains during the night which escalated to vomiting and heart palpitations. He was rushed to Southmead Hospital at 10.15am, but his family claim that the hospital failed to monitor him properly, despite ECGs flagging up concerns on February 17. Sadly, less than two hours later, he was taken to ICU and passed away.
Sanjeev Shukla, a friend of the family, has called out North Bristol Trust, which runs the hospital. He claims there was no “continuous monitoring of heart rate” before Sunil passed away. He revealed that Sunil had only just celebrated the birth of his two-month-old son, by holding a naming ceremony just two days earlier. Sunil also leaves behind his seven-year-old daughter.
His friend said: “We felt that the seriousness was absent and we wanted his case to be taken seriously. Sunil spent hours under observation [from the ambulance service and Southmead Hospital] and it was like nothing was being done. There was no continuous monitoring of heart rate or continuous monitoring of blood pressure and oxygen level, nothing. One thing which Priya noticed was that his ECG was abnormal, but he was not flagged as an immediate high-risk case. He was just left on the bed. I don’t know why the alarm wasn’t raised by nurses.”
It has been reported that Sunil phoned 111 at 7.17am, with 999 being called just over an hour later. Two further calls were made to 999, when Sunil’s condition worsened, before the ambulance arrived. North Bristol Trust said it has already started a comprehensive review of the case “to understand the full circumstances of what happened”, reports Bristol Live. Chief nursing officer, Professor Steve Hams, said: “Firstly, we would like to offer our deepest condolences to Sunil’s family following their loss. I want to acknowledge the profound impact this has had on them and assure them, and the wider public, that we take this matter with the utmost seriousness.
“As a result of Sunil’s death, we have already started a comprehensive review to understand the full circumstances of what happened. However, at this stage, it would not be appropriate to pre-empt any conclusions. We are committed to working alongside all parties involved, including Sunil’s family. We would also like to reassure everyone that patient safety remains our absolute priority at North Bristol NHS Trust. This review will help us to not only understand what happened but also to ensure that we continue to deliver the highest standard of care for every patient who comes through our doors. We remain committed to learning and improving wherever necessary.”
Sunil was the sole earner for his family. A fundraiser has launched to help provide financial stability to Priya who was married to Sunil for 14 years. Sanjeev added: “The family wants to take Sunil’s body back to India, his home country, and the money will be spent to support his two children. Sunil was the heart and soul of the family. His untimely passing has left not only an emotional void but also a financial burden that his family has to shoulder alone.”
The fundraiser has raised over £48,000, close to the goal of £50,000. To donate visit here.