Man who died from sepsis ‘not treated urgently’
A 22-year-old man who died from sepsis did not receive the antibiotics and fluids “with the urgency that he should have”, a coroner has said.
William Hewes died within 24 hours of being admitted to Homerton University Hospital in east London after his meningitis, caused by a meningococcal infection, developed into sepsis in January 2023.
There were delays in giving him potentially life-saving treatment due to communication errors between staff, Mary Hassell, senior coroner for north London, said.
Delivering a narrative verdict, she criticised the hospital but added that “I simply do not know” if earlier treatment would have saved Mr Hewes.
His mother, Deborah Burns – who worked as a consultant at the same hospital – said she had asked staff on eight separate occasions if they had given him antibiotics.
Courtesy: BBC