The wife of an oil and gas worker who suffered a stroke as a result of an aneurysm has claimed doctors missed the signs and sent him home – saying he was dehydrated.
Natalia Kidd found her husband, Richard, collapsed on the floor of their Aberdeen home.
The first aider, who also works in the North Sea industry, was convinced that her 42-year-old husband had suffered a stroke.
But the 29-year-old claims when she told doctors at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary she believed her husband was showing symptoms of a stroke, they failed to carry out the tests and told her to take him home as he was suffering from dehydration.
She then had to travel back to her house with her husband in a wheelchair, where he slept for two days.
Last Tuesday the couple sought a referral for a brain scan from family doctors Albyn Medical Practice, but father-of-two Mr Kidd was diagnosed with an ear infection and sent home with anti-sickness tablets.
Two days later, after his condition deteriorated to the point where he could not feel one of his arms, a GP referred Mr Kidd for a brain scan at ARI. There it emerged he had suffered a stroke as a result of a rare form of aneurysm.
Mrs Kidd said: “I had to push and fight and it caused me so much stress.
“They are now sending him to the specialist unit at the Western General in Edinburgh.
“I had to fight for his life. Basically, he has a ticking bomb in his head.”
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said: “We are concerned by the matters Mrs Kidd raises and are sorry to hear she is unhappy with the care her husband received.
“To date she has not contacted our feedback service. We would strongly encourage her to do so and we will investigate fully.”
Albyn Medical Practice was unavailable for comment.