The daughter of a man who died from a painful stomach condition says he was ‘failed’ by doctors who delayed in treating him.

Anthony Haughton, 67, of Park Street, died on November 7 last year at Watford General Hospital from the rapid-developing problem which caused him to choke on his stomach contents.

The father had been recovering from a hip replacement the previous week on November 2 at St Albans City Hospital.

But doctors had not realised that Mr Haughton was suffering from Ileus, a rare side effect of major surgery and a serious gastric condition which stopped him from passing waste properly.

At the inquest into his death today nursing staff at the city hospital defended their decision to allow him home three days after the operation, insisting he appeared in good health and his mild sickness and nausea was thought to be side effects of his medication.

Days a local GP supplied Mr Haughton with new medication for vomiting, though at that time he did not complain of pain.

Early the following morning on Wednesday November 7 his hip dislocated and an ambulance was called to rush the retired builder to Watford General Hospital around 5am.

Experienced consultant Martin Mbokazi said it was understandable that doctors focused on the hip problem on arrival, as the abdomen pain was still slight.

But it rapidly deteriorated and Mr Mbokazi admitted doctors should have picked up on it by 10am.

Instead doctors first attempted to fit a Nasal Gastric tube, to pump the build-up of waste out of his body, around 11.30am.

It caused Mr Haughton to be severely sick and he suffered a short cardiac arrest, though he recovered shortly after.

Junior doctors had no history notes on Mr Haughton, who was vague about the deterioration of his condition since the hip replacement, because ‘the system was down’.

Doctors were waiting for the results of a series of tests to confirm his condition, as well as seeking advice from senior doctors, but ‘finally’ called Mr Mbokkazi.

He said: “I was finally called around 2pm because of great concern about Anthony.

“I could see from a distance his stomach was very dissented. “I knew we had to get on with it and I had no time to hear about history.

“I was irritated that the surgeons had not arrived and called them straight away.

“As soon I tried to put a tube inside his nose he said he was going to be sick and he vomited a large amount of stomach contents.

“He was not getting oxygen because his lungs were full of stomach contents and we told the family he was unlikely to make it.

“When someone has become that unwell it is very hard for us to fit the tube.

“A tube should have been fitted between 7am and 11am but we have to remember that doctors make decisions on what they know at the time.”

Anthony died around 5pm that evening with his partner Irene Nesby and step-son Richard present.

Anthony’s daughter Claudia Marley attended the inquest with her mother, who is his ex-wife, and Richard Newby.

She said: “We feel he could still be here.

“He was let down at both hospitals and there is a distinct gap in his care, after being admitted to Watford General Hospital, between 7am and 10am.

“He was certainly failed.”

Coroner Edward Thomas recorded a narrative verdict, highlighting that “no attempt at inserting a nasal gastric tube was made until about 2pm on the day of his death, when he regurgitated and massively aspirated leading to a cardiac arrest and damage to his lungs from which he never recovered.”.