The family of a father who died after failings at Whipps Cross Hospital have demanded safety reassurances from Barts Health.

Jason Smith, from Woodford Green, died on October 29, 2013 from internal bleeding after being admitted to the hospital’s Accident and Emergency department with sweats, severe stomach cramps and vomiting blood.

He was 40-years-old.

An inquest into his death at Walthamstow Coroners Court in February this year concluded that Mr Smith died of natural causes contributed to by neglect.

“We miss Jason every day and it remains incredibly hard to think back to how his condition deteriorated in hospital,” partner Toni Connolly recalls.

“It was incredibly hard to listen to the findings of the inquest and the failings that contributed towards Jason’s death. While it is an important step forward that the trust has admitted liability, taking this action has always been about more than money.

“We just want to know that something is being done by the NHS to prevent anyone having to go through the nightmare that we have faced.”

Jason was taken to Whipps Cross l by ambulance on the evening of October 28 after stomach cramps he had suffered for several days became more severe and he was also vomiting blood.

Mr Smith, a painter and decorator of Woodford Green, had a history of deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in his lungs.

He passed away shortly after 9am on the following day.

In February this year Senior Coroner Nadia Persaud said that there was a failure by the medical team to take a “full and thorough” history related to his condition, which meant there was a failure to appreciate the bleeding.

She also stated that a failure to repeat a blood sample after abnormal results became apparent at 1am on October 29, meant an opportunity was missed to gain a further understanding of his condition, which would have led to a transfusion and a gastroscopy or CT scan.

Now, after securing an admission of liability from Barts Health NHS Trust, Irwin Mitchell’s specialist medical negligence lawyers are working on behalf of his former partner Toni Connolly to secure vital funds to support her and their two children.

The legal experts are also calling on the trust, which has been in the spotlight after being placed in special measures earlier this year, to provide reassurances that patient safety has improved following the death.

Louise Forsyth, the expert lawyer in Irwin Mitchell’s Medical Negligence team who is acting for the family, said: “Two years on from his tragic death, Jason’s family are continuing to try to come to terms with and make sense of the series of failings which contributed towards his haemorrhage.

“His death is another shocking example of the problems seen at Barts Health NHS Trust in recent years.

“Above all however, the family are desperate for reassurances that lessons are being learned from past mistakes so that the safety of patients remains the ultimate priority.”

It was also found that the Trust failed to follow the Early Warning Sign policy, which meant medical reviews were not carried out at the correct time during Mr Smith’s care.