Memory loss woman wins £4m payout

Mrs Malcolm needs round-the-clock care from her husband

A woman who was left with a 10-minute memory after medical staff failed to spot a brain haemorrhage has won compensation of more than £4m.

Cristina Malcolm from Durham collapsed with a headache in 2002 but was diagnosed with a virus, and later suffered a more serious haemorrhage.

The 41-year-old now needs round-the-clock care from husband Sandy.

Two hospital trusts and her then-GP, Dr James Harrison, have apologised for the failings.

After the second haemorrhage, Mrs Malcolm was rushed to Newcastle General Hospital where she underwent life-saving surgery to remove half a litre of blood from her brain.

She was left permanently brain-damaged and unable to remember anything for more than 10 minutes.

As an example of how hard their lives have become, Mr Malcolm said he had had to break the news of her father's death to her 10 or 15 times.

He said: "It was the saddest thing I have had to do in my whole life.

We sincerely regret the failures in care which led to Mrs Malcolm's injury Spokeswoman for the hospital trusts

"Naturally she was completely devastated but an hour later she had no idea.

"I had to tell her 10 or 15 times over the next three or four days and you knew every time you told her how much it would break her heart."

Mr Malcolm, who describes his wife as being like "a 10-year-old child with Alzheimer's", said the couple had to abandon their dream of having children.

He launched a compensation claim for gross clinical negligence against Dr Harrison of Chevely Park Medical Centre in Durham, Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust.

A spokeswoman for the trusts - now known as County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - said: "We sincerely regret the failures in care which led to Mrs Malcolm's injury.

"Letters of apology are being sent to Mr Malcolm by the chief executives of each trust.

"It is recognised that neither words nor money can compensate for what has happened but it is hoped that there is some comfort in knowing that Mrs Malcolm will have financial security for the rest of her life and will be well cared for."