Cleethorpes man twice starved of oxygen during hospital treatment

A 20-year-old man from Cleethorpes has received compensation after being twice starved of oxygen during hospital treatment and spending two weeks on life-support.

Corey Wilkinson spent three month in Leeds General Infirmary between November 2021 and January 2022.

There were complications with a breathing tube put into his windpipe before Corey suffered a cardiac arrest, and a loss of oxygen for 10 to 15 minutes, according to Hudgell solicitors who are representing the family.

Corey was placed on a ventilator the next day, when the breathing tube was removed and his sedatives were ended. He began struggling for breath and was again deprived of oxygen for four minutes, according to the BBC.

During this time he was said to have suffered a cardiac arrest and brain injury, leaving him unable to walk or talk.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust said it had made a number of changes to its procedures since the incident. The trust also made an interim payment of £25,000 to help fund his rehabilitation.

Corey Wilkinson spent three months in hospital. | Screenshot: BBC Look North

Corey is now hoping to restart a career as a personal trainer before one day opening his own gym.

He has been documenting his recovery on social media and told BBC Look North: “I’ve got so much more to live for. I wanted to prove to people so I started putting videos up on my progress to show people what I’ve been through. You can go to rock bottom and still come back from that.”

His mum Nicki Wilkinson said: “The worst part seeing how ill he was afterwards because he’d lost so much weight, and we’re used to Corey being quite fit from being at the gym and looking after himself.”

Hudgell Solicitors said Corey’s speech had returned and he no longer needed a wheelchair, but he still struggled with pain, mobility restrictions, tiredness and confusion.”

Matthew Gascoyne from Hudgell Solicitors told BBC Look North: “Corey’s operation was one that thousands of children and teenagers go through every year and for him to have his life derailed by errors of judgement and decision making that was not at the standard expected is just not acceptable.

“As a result of that the trust have implemented various changes in procedure that will minimise the risk of any injury like this happening in the future.”

Dr John Adams, medical director, at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, told the BBC they were pleased Mr Wilkinson was making progress and had been “able to access vital rehabilitation services with the interim payment”.

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