Man, 34, left paralysed and unable to speak after hospital dismisses symptoms as virus

Man, 34, left paralysed and unable to speak after hospital dismisses symptoms as virus DJ Oli Coppock, 34, has been non-verbal for two years after an A and E doctor's blunder when he came in feeling dizzy and sick with a severe headache A man was left paralysed and unable to speak after a hospital dismissed his symptoms as a virus. Aspiring DJ Oli Coppock, 34, has been non-verbal for more than two year and his body is now twisted and virtually paralysed following a blunder by an Accident and Emergency doctor failed to diagnosed his condition. He attended Warrington Hospital complaining of feeling dizzy and sick with a severe headache and even brought him with an overnight bag. But despite file notes showing he had recent brain surgery and radiotherapy months earlier, his doctor dismissed his symptoms and failed to order a simple CT scan. He was told he had a virus and to go home and take some paracetamol. And the gym fanatic later had a cardiac arrest after fluid on the brain was discovered from a later CT scan and he was left with inoperable brain stem damage. His breathing, feeding and toileting are all done through tubes at the rehab centre where he is being cared for and he now has no meaningful ability to move. His father Stephen Coppock said he had only communicate through blinking and his devastated family are taking legal action with Express Solicitors against Warrington Hospital. The hospital has now admitted liability following a damning internal report which revealed a catalogue of failures. Stephen, 65, a former child protection lawyer, said hospital bosses were happy for his son to "waste away" in an independent neurological rehab centre for nearly a year following the report before finally admitting wrongdoing. Now he hopes his son can finally access specialist treatment and equipment after an interim payment was agreed following court delays to funding, but fears it could be ‘too little, too late.’ Oli can now only communicate with his family by blinking yes and no to prompt cards but they believe he understands everything that is going on around him. Manchester United fan Oli’s ordeal started in May 2023 when a routine scan for an ongoing diagnosis of MS picked up a small benign growth near his brain stem. After successful surgery in November 2023 and preventative Proton Beam therapy at Christies in Manchester the following year, he was soon back in the gym, enjoying long walks in the Lake District and was looking forward to his future. He had also landed a weekly DJ residency playing in a venue near his home in Warrington where he lived. But in May 2024 everything changed with a fateful trip to Accident and Emergency at Warrington hospital. He was suffering with dizziness, fatigue and vomiting but after being made to wait for nearly four hours before being triaged his symptoms weren't taken seriously. Stephen added: “It was obvious something was seriously wrong and it wasn’t just a virus and needed further investigation or at least a scan. "I was so angry when they sent him home Oli knew he was sick he brough an overnight bag with him as he was fully expecting to be admitted.” It was later discovered with the aid of a CT scan from another hospital that Oli had hydrocephalus, a condition which occurs when there is excessive fluid on the brain and needed a number of operations. Stephen said if the doctor had ordered a simple CT scan at the time it would have revealed the fluid on the brain and it would have been a "simple fix." He added: "They even admitted as such in their report. Oli would now be enjoying meals out with his friends, long walks, seeing his brother play football, going to the gym, Djing and holidays in Ibiza. "Instead, he is a prisoner in his own body stuck in a bed staring at the ceiling and can only talk to his family by blinking." A subsequent Internal Patient Safety Incident Investigation report carried out by Warrington Hospital outlined a catalogue of failings including not ordering a CT scan, failing to escalate his case based on past medical history and not seeking advice from senior colleagues. The Trust admitted in their report had a scan happened it would likely have revealed the fluid on his brain which could have been easily drained leading to a quick recovery and normal life. Stephen added: "It beggars’ belief that after admitting this that he had to wait nearly a year for them to admit they were at fault which likely caused irreparable damage to Oli. It is disgusting behaviour.” Now despite him, and his family's objections in another blow to the family medics have given his son on a DO NOT resuscitate and no ICU package as he remains very sick. North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust which runs Warrington Hospital have now taken full liability for what happened to Oli after the family took legal action and after court approval last month are arranging for an interim payment to help pay for specialist care equipment and treatment. The NHS Trust admitted that a CT scan "should have been performed" and it was a "breach of duty" to fail to do so and that surgery before Oli’s "catastrophic deterioration" would have "prevented" respiratory arrest. The family’s lawyer Tanzeela Aslam, head of medical negligence at Express Solicitors, said: "Oli’s case illustrates how preventable errors within the NHS can have devastating and life-changing consequences for individuals and their families. The impact of the initial failings was further compounded by delays in the defendant admitting liability. “During this time Oli was deprived of access to funds for essential therapies and treatments that could have improved his quality of life. A life that has already been significantly and prematurely shortened as a result of the Defendant’s negligence.” North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Warrington Hospital said: “We are deeply sorry that Mr Coppock did not receive that standard of care that should be expected and we recognise the distress and lasting impact on patients and their families when harm is caused."