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Daughters blast hospital over MRSA dad’s death
 | | John Higgison |
Andrew Brightwell
THE twin daughters of a pensioner who died in the Whittington Hospital after contracting the MRSA superbug have lashed out at medical staff.
Sarah and Jane Higgison watched their 82-year-old father John die on Sunday, 11 days after he tested positive for the deadly bug.
He was taken to the Highgate Hill hospital on Christmas Eve with horrific injuries after an accident on a pedestrian crossing in North Hill, Highgate.
His daughters held a four-month vigil at Mr Higgison's bedside to make sure their father was cared for properly.
Sarah Higgison said: "We used to sit there until the night staff came in because we were terrified that if they weren't adequate we would have to sit through the night."
The daughters discovered their father, who lived in Talbot Road, Highgate, had contracted the MRSA bug when a sample of his saliva tested positive on Wednesday April 20.
They described how they watched in horror as their father - who they fondly called "Hig" - deteriorated before their eyes.
Sarah Higgison said: "It was complete torture to watch my father.
"He would have days when his condition improved, when he was better and then the following day we would find he had an infection and his conditions deteriorated.
"He was on drugs and painkillers but was going through pain and anguish."
The twins say staff at the hospital barely spoke to their father as he lay dying.
The final straw came when Jane Higgison used an intercom to tell hospital staff she had come to see her father on May 1, only to be told by mistake he was dead after contracting MRSA. "We don't know how he contracted the infection but we are furious that he was exposed to it," she said.
Mr Higgison, who served as a Grenadier Guard in the Second World War, was a chartered accountant who had lived with his family in Highgate since 1959. His wife, Kay, died in 1996.
Rosemary Towers, who lived next to Mr Higgison, said: "He was a kind, soft hearted old man who was always very funny. He will be missed by everyone around here."
Figures from the Department of Health show there were nine cases of MRSA at the Whittington between April and September 2004, ranking it 44th out of 110 acute hospitals in England.
A spokeswoman for the Whittington said: "The consultant in charge of his care says that she met with the family regularly and explained Mr Higgison's condition in detail.
"I am very sorry that Mr Higgison has died and we all send our deepest sympathy to the family."
An inquest will open and adjourn on Monday.
A man charged with careless driving is due to appear in court on a date yet to be decided.
andrew.brightwell@hamhigh.co.uk
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