A CYCLIST injured in a York accident died at home eight days later after twice being discharged from hospital, an inquest was told.

Staff at York Hospital’s emergency department failed to realise Brian Cottom had suffered fractured ribs and a collapsed lung as well as a broken shoulder blade after his bike collided with a BMW car in Malton Road on June 3, 2017.

He was sent home with a sling, analgesia and a fracture clinic follow-up appointment.

The rib fractures were only spotted two days later by a consultant radiologist reviewing the initial X-rays of Mr Cottom.

The 56-year-old, of New Earswick, was immediately recalled to York Hospital, given a CT scan and had a chest drain inserted.

Coroner Jon Heath said he was then transferred to Castle Hill Hospital in Hull on June 7 for specialist chest care.

He appeared to have made an uneventful recovery in Hull and his chest drain was removed.

Mr Heath concluded he was discharged home on June 9 and died at home on June 11 of adult respiratory distress syndrome and infections resulting from injuries sustained in the collision.

The inquest heard the motorist was not to blame for the accident.

A report from a serious incident investigation by York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, seen by The Press, said that when Mr Cottom presented after the accident, he was predominantly complaining of shoulder pain, and X-rays were conducted to look at the shoulder injury.

It said the rib fractures were missed by a "succession of doctors of different grades of training and experience", including an emergency department junior doctor, an orthopaedic doctor, an orthopaedic registrar and an orthopaedic consultant, but were reported by a consultant radiologist on reviewing the X-rays on June 5.

The report said an action plan had been drawn up following the investigation, including a review of policy on chest trauma management and an overview of the reporting of trauma X-rays. A trust spokeswoman told The Press it "sincerely regretted" the circumstances of Mr Cottom’s death and had apologised to his family.

“We take situations such as the events surrounding Mr Cottom’s death extremely seriously and all incidents of this nature are investigated thoroughly to prevent the likelihood of similar incidents happening again,” she said.

“We have shared the findings of our investigation with Mr Cottom’s family and cooperated fully with the coroner. The recommendations made within the report have been implemented.”

A spokeswoman for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Castle Hill Hospital, extended its sympathies to the family and said the coroner made no criticism of the trust.