The widow of a 48-year-old man who died after weight-loss surgery is suing the private healthcare provider responsible for the operation.
Philip Morris passed away in 2021, four days after undergoing a gastric sleeve procedure at Spire St Anthony’s Hospital in Surrey. The surgery involved removing part of his stomach.
A coroner’s report in February 2024 determined that Mr. Morris likely would have survived if a carbon dioxide monitor had functioned properly during the operation.
Following the inquest, Spire Healthcare acknowledged the coroner’s findings and stated that it had taken steps to prevent similar issues in the future.
Mr. Morris’ widow, Dana, received two interim compensation payments from Spire Healthcare last year but is now pursuing legal action against the company in the High Court.
Mrs. Morris, 49, expressed that Spire’s refusal to accept full responsibility and settle financially had “prolonged their nightmare” and caused “further unnecessary grief.”
“We can’t even begin to grieve properly,” she said. “It feels like we haven’t even started that process.”
Court documents obtained by BBC Wales claim that Spire Healthcare, along with the medical professionals involved in Mr. Morris’ surgery and care, provided substandard treatment.
A date for the High Court hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Mr. Morris, originally from Newport, was a founding member of Wales Arts Review and served as its managing director from 2012 to 2016. The family relocated to south London in 2016.
Mr. Morris, who weighed 22 stone and had type 2 diabetes and sleep apnoea, chose private surgery due to long delays in NHS care following the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the surgery, he experienced severe abdominal pain, making it difficult for him to talk and breathe. He was placed in intensive care, where doctors decided to intubate him before transferring him to an NHS hospital.
A four-day inquest in Croydon in February 2024 revealed that the procedure was “extremely difficult,” and his “airway was lost.” Senior coroner Sarah Ormond-Walshe noted a “missed opportunity” to establish a new airway because the carbon dioxide monitor had malfunctioned. She found that no one was responsible for checking if the equipment was working.
The coroner concluded that Mr. Morris died from complications of an emergency procedure to address issues caused by his weight-loss surgery.
Nearly a year later, Mrs. Morris and their son, Orson, 15, have been diagnosed with PTSD, and Orson continues to receive counseling.
“We feel we’re fighting for justice for Phil,” Mrs. Morris said. “He went in to improve his health, and if things had gone according to plan, our life would be different now.”
“Spire’s mistakes cost Phil his life, and we will suffer the consequences forever. Lessons must be learned to prevent this from happening to other families,” she added.
Spire Healthcare declined to comment on the specifics of the case due to ongoing legal proceedings. However, the company issued a statement saying, “We apologize for the distress caused by Mr. Morris’ death and confirm that Mrs. Morris’ claims are being addressed through the appropriate legal channels.”
