A devoted father-of-three died without ever being told that a hospital scan had discovered a fatal brain aneurysm months earlier, an inquest has heard.
Missed Opportunities in Tragic Case
Craig Green, a 39-year-old catering assistant at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, died at the hospital in July last year. He left behind his partner of over 20 years, Lesley Claridge, and their three sons, the youngest of whom was just nine months old.
An inquest at Birmingham Coroner's Court on Tuesday, 13 January, heard that a brain aneurysm was 'incidentally' uncovered on scans more than three months before his death. However, due to 'poor communication and documentation' within the NHS, neither Craig nor his GP were informed of the life-threatening condition.
Family's Anguish Over Lost Chances
"No one ever told him he had an aneurysm," said Craig's father, Dennis Green, after the hearing. "To this day, no one told him how seriously ill he was. He could have made plans with his family and with his sons."
His partner, Lesley, described the devastating impact of being kept in the dark. "The worst part, apart from losing Craig, is that he never knew, and he had a right to know," she said. "Craig didn't know, he could have made some lifestyle changes that could have maybe minimised his risk of it rupturing."
She added that the knowledge would have allowed him to prepare, saying: "He could have had the chance to say things to me and the kids - all of that was just taken away from us."
How the Fatal Oversight Happened
The sequence of events began in early April when Craig visited Ear, Nose and Throat specialists at University Hospitals Birmingham with acute hearing loss. A consultant requested an MRI and CT scan.
The results correctly identified a high-priority brain aneurysm, unrelated to his hearing issue. However, the referral to the neurovascular team was not properly completed as it was sent via email instead of the official 'proforma' system. This critical breakdown meant the finding never reached Craig.
On 23 July, Craig suffered a cardiac arrest and a devastating brain injury after the aneurysm ruptured. He was rushed to hospital in a coma and died two days later on 25 July.
Investigation Findings and Trust Response
Stephen Rooney, a consultant cardiac surgeon who led an internal investigation, identified four key missed opportunities in Craig's care. However, he concluded these failings did not contribute to his death, which was recorded as natural causes.
Mr Rooney explained that, as a 'priority 3' aneurysm, the earliest likely treatment date would have been mid-September. Craig's rupture occurred at the end of July.
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, where Craig was also a 'much-loved colleague', offered its sincerest condolences. A spokesperson stated: "We have strengthened our communication processes and referral pathways, and we are taking action to prevent this from happening again."
A GoFundMe page set up to support Craig's family has raised over £1,000 towards a £3,500 target.
