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A father of seven was not informed by hospital doctors that he was suffering from a terminal illness and was wrongly assured he would recover, a health ombudsman has revealed. William Chapman, known as Syd, was admitted to the Countess of Chester Hospital in July 2021 after experiencing shortness of breath. During his time there, doctors reportedly told him “not to worry,” leading him to believe his condition was not serious.
In reality, Mr Chapman had been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive and incurable lung disease, though this information was not communicated to him. It was only several months later, in December 2021, that he learned about his diagnosis unexpectedly during a phone conversation with his GP. Sadly, this came around eight months before his passing. The hospital has since issued an unreserved apology and accepted the findings from the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman (PHSO) investigation into the matter.
Chantelle Parker, Mr Chapman’s daughter, expressed her family’s deep disappointment with the NHS. She explained that her father continued to work despite struggling with his health, believing he was on the path to recovery. Chantelle said, “My dad thought he was going to get better, because that’s what they led him to believe,” adding, “If he had known the truth, he would have given up work and made the most of the time he had left with his family.” The investigation found that after initially attending hospital, Mr Chapman was referred to a specialist for further tests. Despite this, a junior doctor reassured him falsely in September 2021, unaware of the severity of his condition. Though a consultant later diagnosed him in November and sent a letter to his GP, the patient was never directly informed.
The health ombudsman described the case as “disturbing.” It highlighted multiple failings, including poor communication, inadequate record-keeping, and a delayed response from the hospital when the family raised concerns, which took over a year to be addressed. Rebecca Hilsenrath KC, CEO of the PHSO, emphasized the emotional damage caused by the way the diagnosis was ultimately disclosed and criticized how the hospital handled the family’s complaints. Chantelle Parker also noted that despite offers for private treatment, her father’s trust in the NHS led him to decline, underscoring the importance of transparency in patient care. The hospital has agreed to improve its services, acknowledge its mistakes, and make a compensation payment to Mr Chapman’s widow
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