Man left with life-changing injuries after Warrington Hospital A&E missed brain tumour complications

Oli Coppock, a 32-year-old digital marketer, was left almost completely paralyzed after Warrington Hospital's emergency department failed to order a CT brain scan in May 2024, missing fluid build-up that led to a cardiac arrest. North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust admitted a breach of duty and agreed to an interim payment, though his family and solicitor criticize the two-year delay. The case highlights a broader 41% rise in A&E clinical negligence claims in England over five years, which experts link to severe overcrowding and delays.

Missed brain scan at A&E

• ▪Warrington Hospital's emergency department staff performed tests and assessments on Oli Coppock but did not order a brain scan before discharging him.
• ▪One week after being discharged from Warrington Hospital, Oli Coppock suffered a cardiac arrest caused by fluid building up on his brain.
• ▪In May 2024, 32-year-old Oli Coppock went to Warrington Hospital's emergency department with severe headaches and dizziness, a few months after undergoing treatment for a brain tumor.

Oli Coppock's catastrophic injuries

• ▪Following a cardiac arrest, Oli Coppock was left with almost complete paralysis and is cared for at a neurological rehabilitation centre.
• ▪Oli Coppock requires tubes for breathing, feeding, and toileting, and can only communicate by blinking.
• ▪Prior to his cardiac arrest, Oli Coppock worked in digital marketing, had a recent diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, and was otherwise fit and active.

Rising A&E negligence claims

• ▪Clinical negligence claims in A&E are relatively rare, occurring in approximately one out of every 17,000 attendances, according to Dr. Adrian Boyle of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
• ▪A&E has become the single largest area for clinical negligence claims in England by volume, with the value of these claims exceeding £550 million in 2025-26.
• ▪A BBC analysis of NHS Resolution figures showed a 41% rise in A&E-related clinical negligence claims in England over five years, increasing from 1,151 in 2020-21 to 1,623 in 2025-26.

Emergency department overcrowding pressures

• ▪Doctors and legal experts link the rise in A&E clinical negligence claims to long delays, staffing pressures, and an increased reliance on corridor care.
• ▪Over the last two years, one in ten patients attending emergency departments in England spent more than 12 hours waiting to be treated or discharged.
• ▪NHS England stated that clinical negligence claim numbers are not a reliable measure of current safety due to reporting lags, noting that A&E waiting times have begun to improve.

NHS trust liability admitted

• ▪North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust issued an apology to Oli Coppock and his family, acknowledging that he did not receive the expected standard of care.
• ▪North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust accepted a breach of duty for failing to order a CT brain scan for Oli Coppock.

Delayed compensation payment process

• ▪North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust agreed to an interim damages payment for Oli Coppock.
• ▪Solicitor Tanzeela Aslam stated that the process of securing the interim payment took more than two years, delaying Oli Coppock's access to therapies and support.