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Royal Hospital trolley death: Trust admits 'something went wrong' Second death at Royal Victoria Hospital investigated
(40 minutes later)
By Marie-Louise Connolly BBC Northern Ireland health correspondentBy Marie-Louise Connolly BBC Northern Ireland health correspondent
The Belfast Health Trust has told the family of a man who died awaiting treatment on a hospital trolley they accept something went terribly wrong. Belfast Health Trust is investigating the case of a second patient who died at the Royal Victoria Hospital, the BBC understands.
The 77-year-old man, who suffered from motor neurone disease, died while waiting for a bed in the Royal Victoria Hospital's A&E department. Earlier the trust told the family of a man who died while on a trolley awaiting treatment at the hospital's A&E department that they accept something went terribly wrong.
The family met the trust's medical director Dr Tony Stevens on Monday. The 77-year-old, who suffered from motor neurone disease, died on 6 March.
His family met the trust's medical director this afternoon.
An investigation is ongoing into what happened, but the family have said they are not satisfied it is independent.An investigation is ongoing into what happened, but the family have said they are not satisfied it is independent.
They told the BBC many of their questions remain unanswered as the trust insists they have to wait until the investigation is over.They told the BBC many of their questions remain unanswered as the trust insists they have to wait until the investigation is over.
The pensioner had been waiting almost 24 hours in the A&E department. He died on 6 March. As well as the investigation into the 77-year-old's death, the BBC understands it will also examine the death of a female patient in January.
The BBC understands that the last written record of his condition was at about midnight. He was found by ambulance staff some five hours later. She was in a ward when she died, not in the A&E department.
While the Belfast Health Trust insists the man was not dead but "unresponsive", staff were heard to say that the man's hands were very cold. One nurse said: "Clearly this man is dead." The team will establish what happened in the lead-up to the two deaths, how care was delivered and the level of communication between staff.
He was taken to the resuscitation area but pronounced dead a short time later. The male patient had been waiting almost 24 hours in the A&E department.
The family of the 77-year-old want to remain anonymous and are being represented by SDLP assembly member John Dallat.
Speaking of their concerns about the investigation, Mr Dallat said: "The independent inquiry's made up of people from different health trusts and people from health trusts tend to meet each, they know each other.
"But again I was assured that this would in no way influence it."