Newcastle doctor became "fixated" on incorrect diagnosis and hospital staff missed final warning signs - court

By Joanne McCarthy
Updated June 28 2016 - 9:44am, first published 9:42am
Failures: Newcastle Private Hospital staff sponged a patient rather than recognising clear warning signs she was close to death after a hysterectomy.
Failures: Newcastle Private Hospital staff sponged a patient rather than recognising clear warning signs she was close to death after a hysterectomy.

THE family of a woman who died after vomiting faecal matter for several days following surgery has received a $1.6 million settlement after a court heard her doctor became “fixated” on an incorrect diagnosis and hospital staff failed to recognise when she was only minutes from death.