A 32-year-old man was left in near-total paralysis after Warrington Hospital failed to order a brain scan for his symptoms.
Key facts
- •Oli Coppock was 32 years old when he suffered a cardiac arrest following his discharge from Warrington Hospital.
- •The North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust admitted that a CT scan would have likely identified the fluid buildup and led to life-saving surgery.
- •A&E-related clinical negligence claims in England reached a total value exceeding £550 million last year.
- •The RCEM reports that clinical negligence incidents occur in approximately one out of every 17,000 A&E attendances.
- •NHS England stated that claim numbers are not a direct measure of current safety due to the significant time lag between incidents and the filing of claims.
In May 2024, 32-year-old Oli Coppock visited Warrington Hospital’s emergency department reporting severe headaches and dizziness following treatment for a brain tumor. Despite undergoing assessments, he was discharged without a brain scan. One week later, he suffered a cardiac arrest due to fluid buildup on his brain, resulting in near-complete paralysis. The North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust has since admitted a breach of duty for failing to order the scan.
By the numbers
Clinical Negligence and Systemic Pressures
Oli’s case is part of a broader trend of rising clinical negligence claims in England. BBC analysis of NHS Resolution figures shows that A&E-related claims increased by 41% over the past five years, rising from 1,151 in 2020-21 to over 1,623 in 2025-26. Experts and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) attribute this rise to extreme pressures, staffing shortages, and long wait times within emergency departments, where one in 10 patients has waited over 12 hours for treatment or discharge in the last two years.
Legal and Institutional Response
The North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust has issued an apology, acknowledging that the failure to perform a CT scan prevented timely surgery that likely would have addressed the fluid buildup. While an interim damages payment has been agreed, Oli’s solicitor, Tanzeela Aslam, noted that the two-year delay in reaching this point has hindered his access to necessary therapies. NHS Resolution states it is working to address the volume of claims by helping trusts learn from recurring mistakes, such as misdiagnoses and failures to order essential diagnostic tests.
Timeline
- 2020-21There were 1,151 A&E-related clinical negligence claims recorded in England.
- May 2024Oli Coppock visited Warrington Hospital's emergency department with headaches and dizziness.
- 2025-26The number of A&E-related clinical negligence claims rose to more than 1,623.
Advertisement
This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Health.
