A DAD who tragically died in an A&E department in front of other patients has been named and pictured for the first time.
Thomas ‘Tomboy’ Casey, 34, was reportedly given painkillers and told to wait, despite his son begging for emergency care.
Thomas ‘Tomboy’ Casey, 34, died in A&E in front of other patientsCredit: Facebook
He died more than an hour after he said he feared he was suffering a heart attackCredit: Facebook
Thomas (left) was the father-of-three pictured with son – also named Thomas (right)Credit: Facebook
But he died more than an hour after he said he feared he was suffering a heart attack.
His grieving son, also called Thomas, confirmed that his dad had been to Basildon Hospital the day before, however had gone home following a seven-hour wait without seeing a doctor.
Thomas told The Sun: “My father entered A&E and I told the triage nurse that my father had a cardiovascular issue and she took his measurements.”
“She told me there was no cardiac issue, but clearly there was because when I was in the hospital, one of the nurses that was treating my father when he was in resuscitation told me that it was a pipe from his heart, but I was all shook up because my father died in front of me.
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“So it was a cardiovascular issue and I knew it was, he was having a heart attack.”
He added: “He was in there for two hours and you know what they just gave him – bloody paracetamol and a urine pot and told him to pee in it.”
“That was when he was laying on the floor and I was rubbing his back and I saw him go blue and rolled him over and I will never forget it.
“He was just 34. My blood is boiling, the anger that I am feeling at the moment is indescribable and the hole it has left in my family will never be filled. The NHS killed my father and I will never forget that,” he added.
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The Sun has put Thomas Jnr’s claims to Broomfield Hospital.
Speaking of his father in a moving tribute, a devastated Thomas said: “I never thought I’d be able to say this, but the man, the myth and the legend, my father Tomboy Casey, there will never be a day that goes by I don’t wish to see your smile again.
“My father I love you more than words will know and mark my words there will never be a day or hour I won’t make you proud my father.
“You left a legacy that will stand the test of time and the man you were and the heart you had will never be beat.”
He said the senior Thomas had been a humble man from the travelling community, who had him at the age of 15 and had built up an empire from having nobody and nothing through a bricklaying business.
“While my dad was dying, all they did was lock me in a room and say I was going to be apprehended, all because I was trying to get them to treat him,” he added.
More tributes have begun to pour in for the dead father, with one family member saying: “This is just heartbreaking, the hospital has a lot to answer for when this could have been prevented.
Witnesses recounted his horrific death in publicCredit: Facebook
He was understood to be with his son, who is also called TomboyCredit: Facebook
Thomas was a dad-of-threeCredit: Facebook
“RIP tomboy thinking of all the Casey family at this sad time.”
Louise McCormack, 36, from Chelmsford, who was in A&E with her husband Anthony, 41, at the time of the incident, said: “We were standing in the triage queue about 7pm and saw a man and his son come in not long after us.
“The dad looked clearly in distress and pain. They went ahead of us in the queue and we saw them speak to a nurse who wasn’t quite sure what to do.”
She said the man was led to a chair and had observations while the son checked him in at reception where a lot of what seemed like unnecessary questions were asked.
She added: “Throughout the period of time he was waiting to see another healthcare professional we could see that he was in a lot of pain and couldn’t get comfortable and was groaning.
“We saw the dad go up several times and he was telling them he felt like he was dying but was told he needed to wait his turn.
“He was given paracetamol but they asked for something stronger.
“We saw him lying on the floor of the seating area, presumably trying to get comfortable. My husband says he heard him saying he felt like he was going to die.”
She said he was later called in to be triaged and came back out, but sat right by the automatic doors back into the waiting area before laying down.
She said: “We saw a nurse come over and we heard the son saying that his dad ‘was going blue and would someone please help him ‘for the love of God’ with his hands clasped together.
“The nurse seemed to look at the dad and froze and then she left through the doors. We heard her say to get the doctor.
“It was quite some time before they both arrived back. We saw his son trying to wake his dad.”
She said a doctor came through and realised the seriousness after asking why he was laying on the floor.
‘ABSOLUTE SHAMBLES’
She said: “We saw her and a nurse heave him away from the wall and onto his back.
“She then started CPR and told the nurse to put out an arrest call. The alarm then went off and a lot of other people arrived to help.
“At this point I went to the receptionist to ask if a screen could be put up to give the dad some dignity and privacy.
“As well as shielding the remaining patients who were all visibly distressed and panicking.
“The flow manager told me that maybe everyone could look the other way, which I was dumbstruck about. She did not care.
“Then a screen appeared and obviously we couldn’t see what was happening but everyone could hear what was going on.
“After they moved the dad to resus we all were absolutely horrified and several of us began to discuss how badly managed it all was and how they had mucked up.
“We have both been healthcare professionals in the past and I used to attend cardiac arrests frequently. The whole thing was a shambles.”
Locals in the comments of the public appeal have hit out at the hospital.
One wrote: “So sad but not surprised; Broomfield emergency department is beyond terrible.”
Another said: “It’s bad enough to lose someone you love but to think he could have been saved if he had received treatment straight away is heart breaking.”
A third wrote: “I haven’t stopped thinking about the poor family and the poor bloke who died.”
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Christine Blanshard, Chief Medical Officer at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which Broomfield Hospital is part of, said: “Our condolences go out to the patient’s family.
“We will be investigating the care he received and inviting his family to meet with us and discuss their concerns.”
