Kingston Hospital has admitted “inadequate” care and a “devastating mistake” by doctors looking at the wrong x-ray contributed to the death of a East Molesey grandfather.

Former architect Anthony Osborne, 82, died after being prescribed drugs that caused his heart to fail, when doctors mixed his x-ray up with someone else’s.

Despite being diagnosed with prostate cancer, Mr Osborne was described as “fit and energetic” by his family and had not long arrived back from a walking holiday in Crete when he was admitted to Kingston Hospital in April 2012.

His family said his health had “quickly deteriorated” after he was prescribed hormone therapy drugs Zoladex and Bicalutamide for his cancer, which in rare cases cause heart failure.

He died on May 5, 2012, but Kingston Hospital has only just admitted its liability into his death and settled with the family for an “undisclosed sum” this month.

His wife Helen said: “He was complaining of severe breathlessness and weakness. Doctors just seemed to fob us off, telling me he was an old man with a weak heart and it was the side effects of the drugs and it would get better.

“He had a chest x-ray done to look for any heart problems.

“We later found out they had mixed him up with someone of the same name who didn’t have heart failure.

“My husband trusted the doctors and was telling me not to worry. We were meant to be going on holiday in June – of course he never made that.”

Doctors carried on treating Mr Osborne in the false belief that there was nothing wrong with his heart and failed to refer him to a cardiologist for specialist treatment.

It has now been accepted by the hospital that had this referral been made, Mr Osborne would most likely have been successfully treated and his premature death avoided.

In an apology letter sent to Mrs Osborne, more than three years after her husband died, Kingston Hospital’s said it was: “truly sorry that the care and support Mr Osborne received was inadequate”. 

Mrs Osborne said: “We did not want to take legal action, but during correspondence and meetings with the hospital, we felt patronised and fobbed off.

“In general I think Kingston Hospital is very good, but legal action seemed to be the only way to make them realise what they had done.”

The Osborne family's solicitor Jenny Kennedy added: " “This was a tragic case in which a catalogue of serious errors led to the untimely death of this talented man."

A spokeswoman for Kingston Hospital said that new safeguards had been put in place to avoid this happening again.

These safeguards were changes to the x-ray system and the way in which they were listed, as well as new guidelines for hormone therapy.

The spokeswoman added: “We regret very much the shortcomings in Mr Osborne’s care in 2012.

“We have apologised unreservedly to Mrs Osborne and her family for this, and reiterate these apologies.

“We are truly sorry that the care and support Mr Osborne received at that time was inadequate.”