A grieving partner has spoken of the unimaginable, lifelong pain of raising three boys alone after her partner, a devoted father, died suddenly following missed opportunities in his hospital care.
A Devoted Father Lost
Craig Green, a 39-year-old catering assistant at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, died last July after suffering a cardiac arrest and a devastating brain injury. He leaves behind his partner, Lesley Claridge, their three sons, and extended family.
"Craig wasn’t just my partner — he was the heart of our family and an incredible daddy to our three boys," Lesley told BirminghamLive. "Being a dad meant everything to him. Now our children have to grow up without their dad, and that is a pain I can barely put into words."
Missed Opportunities in Care
An inquest this week heard that months before his death, in April, Craig visited Ear, Nose and Throat specialists at University Hospitals Birmingham concerning acute hearing loss. While investigating this, an MRI and CT scan incidentally discovered a brain aneurysm.
Although the aneurysm was correctly flagged as high priority, a critical failure occurred. The referral to the neurovascular team was sent via email instead of using the official proforma, meaning it was not properly completed. As a result, neither Craig nor his GP were ever informed of the life-threatening finding.
The inquest concluded that these failings did not directly cause his death, as treatment would likely not have begun until mid-September, after he had passed. However, Lesley stresses that had he known, he could have made lifestyle changes, reduced pressure, and made plans for his family.
A Family's Lifelong Heartbreak
Lesley described the daily agony of watching their children, including their youngest who was just nine months old when Craig died, grow up without their father.
"Our youngest, Toby, has just started taking his very first steps," she said. "That should have been a happy moment we shared together, but instead I am watching these milestones alone. Craig will miss so many 'firsts'... It breaks my heart every single day."
She expressed deep hurt and anger that failings occurred at the very hospital where Craig worked proudly. "I feel deeply hurt, angry and let down that more was not done for him when it was needed. Knowing that things could have been different is something I will carry forever," Lesley added.
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has been issued a four-point action plan to improve its processes. A trust spokesperson offered sincerest condolences, acknowledging Craig as a "much-loved colleague" and stating that communication processes and referral pathways have been strengthened following a full investigation.
Lesley's hope in speaking out is for real change. "I want real change and real learning from the failings in his care, so no other family has to experience the heartbreak that we live with every day."
