THE husband of a former Worcester mayor died after medics failed to spot straight away that he had meningitis, an inquest was told.

Former teacher Peter Drinkwater, aged 80, of Northwick Road, Worcester, husband of Councillor Mary Drinkwater, died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, on January 10 last year.

The medical cause of death was bronchopneumonia due to post-meningitis hydrocephalus (a build-up of fluid inside the skull).

However, a barrister representing the Drinkwater family blamed problems at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester before he was transferred to Birmingham on November 26, confused, dehydrated and suffering falling levels of consciousness.

Vanessa Marshall, speaking at a coroner’s court in Birmingham on Monday, said staff at the Royal did not immediately diagnose meningitis, which developed after the father-of-three had an epidural for lower back pain at Spire South Bank Hospital, Bath Road, Worcester, in October 2010.

Miss Marshall told deputy coroner Sarah Ormond Walshe what happened after he was admitted to Worcestershire Royal Hospital on October 23 and again on October 25, 2010.

She told the inquest that: • Mr Drinkwater was diagnosed with post dural puncture headaches, a complication which doctors believed had arisen following an epidural, when in fact he had meningitis.

• Contrast dye was not used in an MRI scan on November 10, 2010, which may have shown that Mr Drinkwater had meningitis much earlier, even though consultant neurologist Dr Mark Willmot had recommended use of the dye.

• Mr Drinkwater was seen by three different consultants at Worcester.

• The first lumbar puncture, used to confirm meningitis, was not carried out until November 26, 2010, more than a month after he was admitted to Worcester.

• Worcestershire Royal has no neurology ward and Mr Drinkwater was admitted under a respiratory physician.

• Dr Willmot only works at the Worcester hospital two days a week, spending the other three days in Birmingham.

• An MRI of the head and spine on November 25 was only carried out after “lots of pushing by the family” while medical notes said Mr Drinkwater “was not a high priority”.

Mr Willmot, a consultant neurologist, told the hearing he did not know why it had taken two weeks to carry out an MRI scan on Mr Drinkwater, when normally it would take two to three days.

He said he could not say if an earlier scan would have made any difference because he could not be sure whether the meningitis was infective or drug-related.

Dr Willmot said Mr Drinkwater did not display the classic signs of meningitis immediately, including photophobia, persistent headaches, a high white cell count and a high temperature.

He said he had considered meningitis as a cause for Mr Drinkwater’s condition, but felt other causes more likely.

Deb Roy, a neurosurgeon at the QE, said Mr Drinkwater could have survived meningitis if he had not developed bronchopneumonia.

He declined to say if he would have survived if he been transferred to the QE sooner.

The deputy coroner recorded a narrative verdict which included details of when Dr Drinkwater became unwell, the treatment received and the date of his death.

Mr Drinkwater’s widow Mary attended the inquest with his three daughters.

Speaking after the hearing, his daughter Rosemary Drinkwater said it had taken a year to go through the hospital records.

“There has been a huge amount of work involved,” she said.

“It has been a very painstaking exercise. My mother bravely carried on with her duties.”

Coun Drinkwater said: “We want to make sure things are improved for other people who use the hospital.” The family said they would be complaining about Mr Drinkwater’s care.