A coroner found she received 'woeful' aftercare
News Sam Volpe Health Reporter and Stephen Topping Senior reporter 10:46, 03 Apr 2025
A businesswoman tragically died seven months after her private weight loss surgery went wrong.
Nicola Fisher had a gastric sleeve operation at a Spire Healthcare hospital in the North East. But the 54-year-old received 'woeful' aftercare, according to a coroner.
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An inquest heard how Nicola developed a 'leak' from her stomach, leading to her needing emergency surgery less than 48 hours later, Chronicle Live reports.
Nicola sadly died due to 'complications of surgery', assistant coroner Karin Welsh ruled. She had initially undergone surgery at Spire Hospital Washington, near Sunderland, on June 12, 2023.
The coroner said this was 'bariatric surgery' to 'remove a gastric band and carry out a sleeve gastrectomy'. "Complications by way of a leak arose as a result of that surgery," she added.
Nicola, from Washington, required emergency surgery at Sunderland Royal Hospital in June, followed by further operations in August, November and December. However as her condition deteriorated, she developed an ongoing infection, went into multi-organ failure and died on January 11, 2024.
The coroner referred to a number of concerns about Nicola's discharge from Spire Washington Hospital on June 13. These included that medications were not given as would be expected, fluids were not given as prescribed, and there was no evidence that observations were carried out on Nicola after 10am that day.
She was a successful businesswoman - managing director of French Beauty Expert - and had previously had a gastric band fitted as she sought to lose weight, but felt that was not effective. In response, she elected to have what is known as a 'gastric sleeve' fitted - this reduces the size of the stomach by 85%.
The operation took place on June 12 and Nicola was discharged a day later. However, on June 14 she called the hospital complaining of vomiting and shortness of breath - while she was told she could be prescribed anti-sickness medication, her condition was so bad that she needed to be rushed to Sunderland Royal by ambulance.
There an infection was found and she needed life-saving surgery. Despite the efforts of surgeons throughout 2023, she died in early 2024.
Speaking after the inquest, her husband Peter said: "I know Nicola would never have gone ahead with this procedure particularly if she had any idea the aftercare would be so woeful, as it was quite rightly described, and the most basic of checks would not be performed prior to her discharge.
"Nicola and I were so happy together, she was so vibrant and such a lovely person. I miss her dreadfully every day."
John Lowther, senior associate at law firm Slater and Gordon, is acting for Peter. He said: "The loss of Nicola is felt acutely by Peter, who had to witness his wife's slow and painful decline over the course of several months after what she hoped would be life- enhancing weight loss surgery at Spire Washington Hospital.
"The inquest has led to the identification of a series of basic failures on the part of Spire Washington Hospital, which may have presented missed opportunities to avoid her suffering and death. We continue to fight for Peter and will support him in finding answers."
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During the proceedings, assistant coroner Welsh had commented: "I rather suspect there is a perception in the general public that paying for treatment at a private hospital results in a quicker and better standard of care...this was not the case for Nicola."
In a statement from Spire Healthcare, the private provider said: "The safety of all our patients is our highest priority, and we offer our very sincere condolences to Mrs Fisher's family for their loss.
"Spire carried out a thorough investigation into Mrs Fisher's care at Spire Washington, at the time the initial complication arose, and completed an action plan to strengthen its processes in relation to the issues identified."
