A FAMILY has demanded an apology from Bury's health bosses after surgeons failed to spot 16 broken ribs on their injured son.

Nicholas Hitchen, aged 19, of Whittingham Drive, Ramsbottom, died a year ago today after his car spun out of control in Crostons Road, Bury, and hit safety barriers.

He was not wearing a seatbelt and slammed into the steering wheel. However, it was only three hours after the crash that the extent of his injuries was correctly diagnosed at Bury General Hospital. Surgery was performed, but his injuries were so severe he died an hour later.

His family called on Prof John Neoptolemos, head of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital's department of surgery, to investigate the post-accident treatment. The professor concluded there had been "very poor standard" of care from the surgeons. Prof Neoptolemos recommended an independent review and the family is waiting for its outcome, which is expected in the next few weeks.

An inquest in December recorded a verdict of misadventure. A post mortem examination revealed Mr Hitchen had suffered 16 fractured ribs which were missed, despite three x-rays, by four senior consultants at the Bury hospital's accident and emergency unit.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England, which also investigated Mr Hitchen's death, said: "The current arrangements are unsatisfactory and we regard this case as a major failure of the systems involved rather than a valid criticism of the surgeon who was put in an impossible position."

A spokesman for the Pennine Acute Hospital Trust, formerly Bury Health Care NHS Trust, said: "An independent review was held on May 30 and a report is being prepared. We are not in a position to respond until we have seen the report."

and considered its recommendations."

"We sympathise with the distress and grief suffered by Nicholas's family and will do everything possible to address the findings."

Mr Hitchen's mother, Christine, said: "The reviews are damning. We are awaiting the result of a review by Bury NHS Trust into my son's death."

Prof Neoptolemos said: "My reading of the notes is that the assessment in the A and E Department (Bury General) and subsequently was of a very poor standard. I believe the severity of the injuries was such that they should have been detected much sooner."