The family of a 56-year-old woman say they rushed to her hospital bedside after being told she was dying – only to discover she was already dead when the call was made.
Cheryl Bacon said she received a call from Leicester Royal Infirmary at 6.06am on February 28 telling her she needed to get to the hospital quickly as her mother, Karen Bacon, had taken a turn for the worse.
However, when she arrived at the hospital 15 minutes later she discovered Mrs Bacon had died.
Ms Cheryl Bacon said she was later told that her mother had died at 6am.
Ms Bacon, of Bale Road, Northfields, Leicester, said she and her family felt they had been denied the chance to say a final farewell.
Ms Bacon, 35, said: "I promised my mother I would be there when she passed away.
"When I got the call to say she was fading fast I got to the hospital as soon as I could.
"I could not believe it when they told me she was already dead. I feel like I have let her down badly."
Ms Bacon said her mother was told she had terminal lung cancer on New Year's Eve.
She said: "We knew she only had 12 months or less to live but she fought on.
"She went into Leicester Royal Infirmary on February 21 as she was coughing up blood. She was in a lot of pain.
"I was with her on February 27 and left at about 9.30pm. I think the hospital could have kept me better informed of her condition."
Carole Ribbins, director of nursing at Leicester's Hospitals said: "We take every opportunity to be as open and honest as possible when delivering bad news, with an ultimate aim to be as sensitive to the care needs and emotions of not only the patient, but also their relatives.
"As part of national training, nurses are advised to deliver bad news face-to-face where possible. However, we continue to review this and offer advanced three-day communications training to our nurses with Loros, specifically around end-of-life care.
"We would like to send condolences to Cheryl and her family for the loss of Karen and welcome the opportunity to discuss her mother's care in person."
Last week we told how Sandra Vernon, who lives on the Saffron Lane estate, said her brother received a call at 2.22am from Leicester Royal Infirmary telling the family that their mother, Gertrude Walker, 93, did not have long to live.
When they arrived at the hospital learned their mother had died at 1.30am.
