‘Amazing’ Rhyl mum who died after misdiagnosis ‘lived life to fullest’

Kayleigh Lorraine Colegate, of Larkmount Road, died at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd aged 35 on May 17, 2022.

An inquest into her death on Friday (November 15) concluded that there were “gross failures to procure basic medical attention” in her case, and that she “would likely have survived” had she been diagnosed correctly and treated accordingly.

She died of an undiagnosed pulmonary embolism, after doctors believed her to be suffering from supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a heart condition.

Kayleigh Colegate with her husband and two children (Image: Ian Colegate) Mrs Colegate, who leaves behind her husband, Ian; and her children, Logan and Alys; worked in retail for Iceland and Wilko, and then as a childcare leader at the Oak Tree Centre in Rhyl.

Ian Colegate, who she met in 2011 and married in 2016, paid tribute to his late wife, who he said “lived life to the fullest”.

He said: “I just really hope that Ysbyty Glan Clwyd have learnt from their mistakes.

“I hope that they don’t put another family through the pain we are going through, and leave another family without their loved one, or young kids without their mum or dad.

“Kayleigh was amazing mum to Logan and Alys, and they miss their mum loads. She was an amazing wife, and is missed so much by all of her family and friends.

“Kayleigh lived life to the fullest, and loved days out with her family and going out with her friends.

“Kayleigh has left a huge hole in our lives that we will never fill. He kindness, humour and fun will live on in our memories.”

Kayleigh Colegate (Image: Ian Colegate) Kate Robertson, assistant coroner for North Wales (East and Central), described Mrs Colegate’s case as “incredibly sad”, and found that neglect ultimately contributed to her death.

Mrs Colegate had began developing breathlessness on May 12, before seeing her GP at Madryn House Surgery on May 16.

Her GP’s initial interpretation was that she was suffering from SVT, and doctors later incorrectly gave her three increasing doses of adenosine, as well as metoprolol, a betablocker

Ms Roberton said she will write to Madryn House to “raise their awareness of what has been identified”, and to understand what changes have come about as a result.

Kayleigh Colegate (Image: Ian Colegate) Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board admitted failings in Mrs Colegate’s care at Friday’s inquest - Dr Tom O’Driscoll, clinical director in emergency care at Glan Clwyd at the time, described it as “one of the most important learning cases in my career”.

He admitted that “aspects of communication weren’t great” in Mrs Colegate’s case, and that the hospital’s misinterpretation of her electrocardiogram was “incorrect” and an “opportunity missed”

Dr O’Driscoll added that Mrs Colegate’s case has been “as widely shared (within the health board) as any I’ve come across”, and said that learning across the health board has been “significant” in this case.

Ms Robertson, who is not issuing a Prevention of Future Deaths report, acknowledged that the failures in this case have “not been taken by lightly by the health board”.