Doctors failed to tell father of seven he was terminally ill, investigation finds

A father of seven was not told he was terminally ill by doctors, who instead said he would be okay, an investigation has found.

William Chapman, known as Syd, only found out he had deadly pulmonary fibrosis when his GP, who thought he already knew the prognosis, mentioned it during a phone call.

He died eight months later.

An investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has found doctors at the Countess of Chester Hospital showed a "worrying lack of accountability" and failed to keep proper records, engage fully with Mr Chapman's family or learn from mistakes.

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Source: Sky News, 4 December 2025.