THE family of a man who died of a brain aneurysm 48 hours after being sent away with painkillers are suing his doctors’ surgery.

The family of Peter Berry are working with solicitors to take action against the Leys Health Centre, which declined to comment.

Oxford East MP Andrew Smith is looking into the case.

The Blackbird Leys resident died on June 5 aged 49 after a blood vessel burst from an aneurysm he developed in 2000.

He went to the Dunnock Way centre on June 3 complaining of a headache and his family said he was only prescribed the anti-inflammatory painkiller cream ketoprofen. He died two days later.

Niece Suzannah Berry, of Greater Leys, said: “They just gave him a cream. He came round and he was complaining that he had a really bad headache and that his back was hurting. He was in pain when he walked and he was holding his head because it hurt so much. That was the last time we ever saw him.

“Later that night he texted my mum Caroline saying ‘I’m in agony’. We found him in bed the next day.”

The 27-year-old said: “This death is tearing me up so much, I can’t believe it’s happened.

“My mum is devastated as well. We miss him so much.”

She said: “He was so much fun. He called himself a big bear – he was soft and cuddly.

“My uncle was such a bubbly person. He was always out meeting new friends and down at the pub.

“I never knew he had so many friends until he died.”

Mr Berry, who was unemployed and volunteered for animal charities, developed the aneurysm after he slipped on a wet floor and hit his head.

Despite two operations to ‘clip’ the blood vessel, which prevents the aneurysm from growing, it burst while Mr Berry was sleeping.

Miss Berry said: “When I saw him we always had laughs and jokes. He let himself shine and lived his life to the full. He was one of a kind.

“It’s really heart-breaking. If I had one dream it would be for my uncle to come back one more time just to see one more daft smile on his face.”

Mr Smith said: “I was really sorry to learn of the tragic death of Peter Berry, and my thoughts go out to his family.

“As well as the health centre’s response to the family’s complaint, I would expect NHS England, who oversee GP practices, to look into this with a thorough investigation of what happened.”
 

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