'Neglect' in hernia death

Mr Reilly's family plans to take civil action over his death.

A man suffering from a simple hernia died from natural causes aggravated by neglect, an inquest jury has decided.

Ian Reilly, 37, had been admitted to Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry as an emergency case on four occasions but was only treated for constipation and a chest infection.

The inquest jury heard on Monday that hospital staff failed to provide the basic medical care needed to save his life.

Mr Reilly's family plans to take civil action over his death.

Victoria Blankstone, from Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, said Mr Reilly's family hoped valuable lessons would be learnt by the hospital trust from the inquiry.

"The hospital trust is already aware of the family's intention to pursue a claim through the civil courts for Ian's death," she said.

He'd had a wonderful life and to think that they'd just taken it away from him. Joyce Reilly

The inquest jury heard earlier that Mr Reilly was diagnosed with a suspected hernia by his GP in January last year.

But consultant Nigel Williams from Walsgrave Hospital was unable to diagnose it without a test.

When Mr Reilly was later admitted as an emergency case three junior doctors realised there was a hernia but had felt unable to overrule their boss.

Mr Williams told the inquest this had been a lost opportunity to treat the patient.

The hearing heard Mr Reilly was eventually operated on in Coventry but died of multiple organ failure.

His mother Joyce, who had cared for her son all his life, said the hospital had failed to listen.

"He'd had a wonderful life and to think that they'd just taken it away from him.

"That's how I felt because they hadn't listened from the beginning."