'There was nothing natural about the way my son died - doctors were playing God'

A grieving couple claim "avoidable failures" at a hospitalcaused the premature death of their disabledson - and are now appealing against the decision of the coronerwho ruled he died of natural causes.

Jay and Louise Patel say their son Balram died after being discharged from St Thomas's Hospital in Londonwith the wrong form of treatment. Following an inquest at London Inner South Coroner's Court in Southwark on Monday, the couple have vowed to press ahead with a judicial review.

"There was nothing natural about the way my son died," Jay said. "Balram died because of a series of clear, documented, and avoidable clinical failures."

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Balram died in August 2023 after he was discharged from St Thomas's Hospital in Lambeth with oral diuretics. His family believe he should have been given an intravenous treatment instead.

They also claim they were not informed of their son's heart condition turning terminal and were under the impression he had been discharged to receive palliative care for his Stage 4 liver cancer. Jay and Louise say their plea for a second medical opinion on Balram's treatment was ignored by consultant cardiologists at Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust, MyLondon reports. Dr Yaso Emmanuel, Consultant Cardiologist at the trust who treated Balram, told the inquest she did not recall a request being made.

The couple have since set up Patients' Lives Matter - a group campaigning for a legal right to a second professional opinion, as well as for an NHS independent complaints investigator. Speaking after the inquest, Jay said: "This verdict may mark the end of the inquest - but it is only the beginning of our fight for truth, justice, and change."

Louise added: "It's disgusting really. It feels like they're playing God. The doctors decided when he should die. They didn't give him a last chance, even if it was a half an hour or a day more. He should have been given a chance. He was a fighter all his life."

Coroner Julian Morris ruled Balram, 30, died from complications related to his heart condition and from liver cancer. He said Balram was born without a right side to his heart and underwent multiple operations over the years to insert pulmonary and abdominal shunts to help with flow of fluid in his body. He had multiple disabilities and was developmentally delayed, with Guy's and St Thomas's trust treating him throughout his life.

The coroner said in June and July 2023, Balram had been diagnosed with end-stage heart failure and that no further surgical or medical options were available other than continuing the treatment of diuretics, which helps regulate fluid. Balram's heart condition meant his body could not do this alone. He was also diagnosed with terminal liver cancer for which "there was no available surgical, local or medical treatment", the coroner's report stated.

Balram, aged 30 at the time, was visited by the palliative care team at home on the day before his death and readmitted to hospital. He was given diuretics intravenously which alleviated his symptoms and then transferred to a ward - but during the early hours of August 9, he collapsed and died.

Balram had been taken to St Thomas's after he was found to have a raised infection rate and a build-up of fluids. His family requested he be transferred home following a Covid-19 outbreak at the hospital, but IV treatment at the Patel's home in Barnet proved not possible.

At the inquest, Dr Morris said discharging Balram with oral diuretics had been a "reasonable" step to take but felt consultants had failed to clearly communicate the state of his condition to the family. He said Balram's double terminal diagnosis meant his death was "inevitable" but he was satisfied medical staff did all they could to manage his condition.

A spokesperson for Guy's and St Thomas's said: "As set out in his narrative conclusion, the coroner found Balram was terminally ill and died from these conditions. He had complex health needs and had been under our care throughout his life, during which our teams did everything they reasonably could for him. We again extend our deepest sympathies to Balram's family."