Bharat Gharu, 71, from Redbridge, London, died in extreme pain in a hospital corridor after doctors initially mistook his stage four pancreatic cancer for acute pancreatitis. His family says he was "failed at every step" and has lodged formal complaints about the care he received.
From misdiagnosis to terminal news
In June 2024, Gharu was admitted to hospital with abdominal pain and bloating, but was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis — inflammation of the pancreas — and sent home. Medical staff indicated there would be a follow-up appointment two months later, but the family says he never received further contact.
Five months later, in November, he was readmitted with the same symptoms. A growth was discovered, and by the end of January 2025, a biopsy revealed stage four pancreatic cancer that had spread to his lungs, liver, and bones. His daughter, Careena Gharu, 39, a graphic designer and yoga teacher, said: "Everybody was devastated including him, it was such a shock. We were distraught that it had gone that far without us even knowing it could have been cancer."
Doctors told him his only options were chemotherapy or palliative care. He chose palliative care. "He knew nothing could be done, and he wanted to live out his last days pain-free," Careena said.
Final hours in agony
On the morning of 16 March 2025, Gharu collapsed in the bathroom. His wife called the palliative care team, but they suggested it was probably hemorrhoids and declined to send anyone out, advising the family to call 111. Careena said: "At that point my dad was screaming saying, 'someone help me,' 'someone chop off my legs,' because the pain was so severe."
The family called 999, and paramedics arrived but initially refused to administer pain relief, as the palliative care team were required to provide a medication chart. Careena said: "He was still screaming the whole time and they refused any pain relief. They wouldn't even take him to hospital." Eventually, after delays, he was taken to hospital. Her brother, Ravi Gharu, 36, accompanied him in the ambulance, saying: "My dad was slamming his hand against the side of the ambulance, screaming in pain."
At the hospital, the family says they were left in a corridor for at least 20 minutes. When Gharu said he couldn't breathe, a paramedic reportedly responded, "No, I can see him breathing." When he was finally taken to a room, his blood pressure was recorded at 44 over 29. He died minutes later despite resuscitation attempts.
Complaints and responses
Careena lodged formal complaints about both the paramedics and the palliative care team. She said the paramedic's report contained inconsistencies, noting that while it acknowledged concern about blood on his legs and the possibility of a catastrophic hemorrhage, it claimed the internal bleed occurred after arrival at hospital. "That's just not correct," she said. "It just seemed like the palliative care team were blaming the paramedics and the paramedics were blaming the palliative care team."
Dr Fenella Wrigley, chief medical officer at London Ambulance Service, said: "We offer our sincere condolences to Mr Gharu's family and are very sorry for the distress they experienced during his final hours. We recognise that aspects of the care and communication experienced by Mr Gharu and his family fell short of what they should expect from us, and we apologise sincerely for this."
A spokesperson for NELFT, responsible for the palliative care team, said: "We have carefully reviewed the care provided and have taken a number of actions as a result, including additional training for staff, improvements to how our community services are explained to patients and families, and the introduction of an on-call triage service."
A spokesperson for Barts Health NHS Trust said: "We offer our heartfelt condolences to Mr Gharu's family and loved ones and are sorry that they feel his care did not meet the standards they expected. Having reviewed the clinical notes, we believe Mr Gharu was treated appropriately given the seriousness of his medical condition."
