Police watchdog orders probe into Merseyside force for ‘failing to properly investigate a 30-year-old mother’s death after NHS hospital staff gave her an ‘accidental paracetamol overdose’

• EXCLUSIVE: Merseyside Police told to probe investigation into hospital death
• Laura Higginson died at Whiston Hospital in 2017 after NHS staff overdosed her
• Doctor may now face questions at inquest over ‘unusual’ cause of death forms

The police watchdog has ordered Merseyside Police to probe itself over allegations it failed to properly investigate the death of a mother-of-two who died after NHS hospital staff accidentally overdosed her on paracetamol.

This comes ahead of next week’s long-awaited inquest into the death of Laura Higginson, 30, after the third request by her widower Dr Antony Higginson, 48, since she died in April 2017.

And a doctor now faces questions as it emerged that a previously unseen death report ‘effectively downplayed’ the impact of the paracetamol overdose, according to Dr Higginson’s lawyer.

Merseyside Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in September after Mrs Higginson’s husband made allegations of ‘corruption’ over the investigation into her death and claims of a subsequent ‘cover-up’.

Mrs Higginson, who suffered from rare genetic disorder Gitelman syndrome which causes low weight, died in Whiston Hospital thirteen days after being admitted for suspected pneumonia.

The police watchdog has ordered Merseyside Police to probe itself over allegations it bungled the investigation into the death of a mother-of-two Laura Higginson (left, with daughter Evelyn) who died after NHS hospital staff overdosed her on paracetamol

A pre-inquest review will be held on November 15, on Mrs Higginson’s (left) death. Widower Dr Antony Higginson (right), 48, made three attempts to ensure one since her death in April 2017

Mrs Higginson died in Whiston Hospital (pictured) thirteen days after being admitted for suspected pneumonia and after staff overdosed her with paracetamol

Her cause of death was recorded as pneumococcal sepsis, multiple organ failure and Gitelman syndrome, but months after her death Dr Higginson discovered from her medical records she had been given a staggered paracetamol overdose, which may have destroyed her liver.

READ MORE: Did hospital kill this mother with too much paracetamol? Doctors blamed mother-of-two’s death on sepsis but months later her husband made a shocking discovery

As Mrs Higginson was very underweight her body was unable to properly process what would be a standard dose of paracetamol for most other adults. NHS guidance details how paracetamol doses should be lowered for underweight patients.

Dr Higginson said he and his family were not told about the accidental overdose and he only found out after reading a post-mortem report that his GP gave him about two months later.

He contacted lawyers and police amid concerns of a ‘cover up’. Although the death of Mrs Higginson, a trainee lawyer, was reported to the local coroner at the time, no inquest was held.

Whiston Hospital has previously refuted suggestions the overdose contributed to her death and claims complications from a genetic condition she suffered were responsible.

But experts who analysed her medical notes said the painkiller irreparably damaged her liver and ’caused or materially contributed to her death’, Dr Higginson’s lawyer said.

Medical notes also reveal that she was given the antidote for a paracetamol overdose, but experts have said this was administered too late to be effective.

An inquest into Mrs Higginson’s death was adjourned in 2020 as police and the CPS investigated allegations of corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter. However, CPS experts concluded there were ‘insufficient grounds for prosecution’, her husband’s lawyer John Doyle told MailOnline.

Dr Higginson believes the investigation is ‘corrupt’, telling MailOnline that police did not obtain key evidence which could have furthered a manslaughter investigation.

And now the IOPC has said it considers his claims worth investigating, as it has now instructed Merseyside Police’s professional standards department (PSD) to probe the force.

Dr Higginson told MailOnline today: ‘The police never obtained witness statements from the doctors and nurses who treated Laura which would have been valid lines of enquiry in a manslaughter case.

‘I referred them to professional standards who then referred themselves to the IOPC,  as this says to me that there’s a case for corruption.’

Hitting out against the force, he added: ‘We have repeatedly asked senior leadership at Merseyside Police, including the Chief Constable, for dialogue and they have refused to meet me and Laura’s family.’ 

Medical negligence lawyer Mr Doyle also revealed that the doctor could be quizzed at the upcoming inquest, which has a pre-inquest review on November 15, over the ‘unusual’ cause of death form she filled in for the coroner.

Mr Doyle told MailOnline that the doctor wrote on ‘Form 97A’: ‘She [Mrs Higginson] was given a normal dose of paracetamol but because of low BMI (36kg) this was too much.’

‘The wording is not as explicit as one would expect it to be, as it’s not spelled out that the she was overdosed and then given antidote,’ Mr Doyle said. ‘It is unusual.’

‘The person responsible for reporting deaths, has not spelled out that she was given an overdose in hospital repeatedly. You would spell out the period of time she was overdosed on paracetamol and the number of times and then if an antidote was given to try to reverse the effects.’

‘They couldn’t bring her back and her body gave in and she died.

‘That’s why an inquest wasn’t opened at the time and coroner didn’t do post mortem.’ 

Mrs Higginson (right, with her son Stephen and daughter Evelyn), suffered from rare genetic disorder Gitelman syndrome which causes low weight

Mrs Higginson (pictured with her son Stephen) was very underweight, so her body was unable to properly process what would be a standard dose of paracetamol for most other adults

Dr Higginson told MailOnline that police did not obtain key evidence which could have furthered a manslaughter investigation

Mr Doyle also said the hospital conducted a post-mortem on Mrs Higginson themselves, rather than the coroner, which is ‘most unusual’.

He added: ‘Either the doctor reported [the overdose] to coroner and they didn’t record it, in which case Dr Higginson wants the coroner’s conduct looked at by the police.

‘Or it must be the other way and there are question marks as to why not consider as to if someone has been treated negligently over three or four days.’

An IOPC spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘In September, we received a referral from Merseyside Police following a complaint linked to a criminal investigation undertaken by the force in relation to the death of Laura Higginson.

‘After careful consideration of the available information we determined an investigation is required into the allegations, and have instructed Merseyside Police to carry this out.

‘If the complainant is unhappy with the outcome of the investigation, they will have a right of review. This would be carried out by the IOPC, ensuring an appropriate level of independent oversight.

‘Our thoughts are with Mrs Higginson’s family and friends and all those affected by her death.’

A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: ‘We can confirm we received a complaint in relation to an investigation into the death of Laura Higginson at Whiston Hospital on 19th April 2017.

‘We are currently reviewing additional material alongside the initial investigation.

‘Officers are in contact with the family of Mrs Higginson and with the coroner’s office.

‘As a review is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.’

A spokesperson for Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust told MailOnline: ‘The Trust offers its sincere condolences to the family of the late Mrs Higginson.

‘As soon as the Trust was made aware that Mrs Higginson had received a higher dose of paracetamol than that which was recommended for her low body weight, it was stopped and the antidote quickly commenced.

‘The Trust responded openly and honestly, instigating a full and thorough investigation informed by independent medical experts. This concluded that any effect of the paracetamol dose was transient and did not contribute to Mrs Higginson’s death.’

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