'Nil-by-mouth' patient died after being given meal

 A HOSPITAL patient died after mistakenly being given a meal when he should have been on nil-by-mouth treatment.

Now, after three years, his relatives have finally been given an apology by bosses at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital.

But Mark Ullyott's sister Michelle Hiley said that her brother’s death should never have happened.

She said that better communication between staff and doctors at the hospital could have prevented.

Mark (40), from Kiveton Park, died of pneumonia after food infiltrated his lungs while he was recovering from a successful bladder operation in October 2008.

Nurses gave him a meal, even though he should not have been given proper food.

Prof Mike Richmond, medical director at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We always strive to provide the highest possible care to all our patients.

“This is why we have carried out a full review of the care provided to Mr Ullyatt to establish if lessons could be learned or changes made to practice which would limit the chances of this set of circumstances happening again.

“I would like to offer our sincerest apologies to Mr Ullyatt’s family although I know this in no way lessens the terrible loss they have suffered.”

But Michelle said: “Mark was a fun, caring and very outgoing person who was loved by many as a son, brother and uncle.

“The apology from the hospital did not explain what action had been taken to prevent this happening again, or if any of the nursing staff who fed him have been reprimanded.”