Parents in mourning, Jay and Louise Patel, believe their disabled son passed away too soon due to insufficient hospital care and are seeking to initiate a judicial review following a coroner’s determination that his death was from natural causes.

Residing in Barnet, the Patels aim to contest the findings from the inquest conducted at London Inner South Coroner’s Court, which stated that their 30-year-old son, Balram, succumbed to complications related to heart failure and terminal liver cancer.

Mr. Patel expressed his outrage, asserting, “There was nothing natural about the way my son died,” and referred to the official verdict as a “whitewash.”

Coroner Julian Morris recognized the family’s worries but concluded that the medical team had acted within reasonable boundaries.

However, Mr. Patel contends that Balram’s death resulted from “a series of clear, documented, and avoidable clinical failures.”

Born without the right side of his heart, Balram faced numerous disabilities and had been cared for by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust throughout his life.

In August 2023, he was released from the hospital with oral diuretics, which his parents argue should have been intravenous treatments instead.

Just a day prior to his passing, Balram was seen at home by the palliative care team, after which he was readmitted to the hospital due to an elevated infection level and fluid accumulation. He later collapsed in the ward and received CPR for 30 minutes before being declared dead.

The Patels were under the impression that their son’s condition was not terminal and believed his hospital release was part of his palliative care strategy for liver cancer.

The coroner, while issuing his verdict, noted deficiencies in hospital communication, highlighting that consultants did not adequately inform Mr. and Mrs. Patel of the seriousness of their son’s condition.

**Judicial Reviews**

Judicial reviews are aimed at questioning the manner in which a decision was made rather than disputing the merits of the conclusion itself.

These reviews focus on whether proper processes were adhered to rather than the correctness of the decision reached by those processes; therefore, the court will refrain from imposing what it determines to be the ‘right’ conclusion.

Consequently, this allows a public body to reach the same decision again, as long as it adheres to lawful procedures.

Mrs. Patel expressed her feelings about the medical decisions made, stating it seemed as though the doctors were “playing God.”

“They decided when he should pass away. They didn’t provide him with a final opportunity, even if it was just for half an hour or an extra day.

“He deserved a chance. He fought hard throughout his life.”

A spokesperson for Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust responded, stating, “Balram was terminally ill and had been under our care for his entire life, during which our teams did everything that was reasonably possible for him.

“We once again extend our heartfelt condolences to Balram’s family.”