Sheffield Mum Died Of Blood Clot On Brain After Ambulance Service Failed To Urgently Refer Her To Hospital For Life-Saving Treatment

A mum died from a blood clot on her brain three days after an NHS helpline failed to urgently refer her to hospital for life-saving treatment.

Natasha Hewitt, 35, had contacted the NHS 111 helpline after suffering from a severe headache, dizziness, and difficulty standing for several days. She had previously been prescribed antibiotics and painkillers for a suspected ear infection.

During the call, Natasha, of Sheffield, complained that she had been unable to get rid of her headache, which had come on suddenly and felt like someone had hit her with a brick. 

Natasha wrongly told to contact GP instead of urgently going to hospital

However, the call handler incorrectly recorded the mum-of-one was not suffering from a sudden headache. 

Natasha should have been advised to attend hospital within an hour, or if she was unable to get to hospital an ambulance should have been dispatched. Instead, she was told to contact her GP for further advice that morning. She did and was prescribed further medication. 

Around 24 hours later Natasha’s husband, Nick, called 999.

Natasha was taken to hospital where she was diagnosed with a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis – a large blood clot on the brain. She was transferred to a specialist brain unit for surgery. However, she died two days later – a week before Christmas 2022 – also leaving behind her then 16-month-old son, Harry.

Natasha's husband asks medical negligence lawyers to secure answers

Following Natasha’s death Nick, aged 44, instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate her care and secure answers. 

An inquest in September 2023 concluded there was a “missed opportunity” to refer Natasha to hospital earlier for diagnosis and treatment. Her death was contributed to by neglect.

In a separate civil legal claim brought by Irwin Mitchell on Nick’s behalf, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, which ran the 111 helpline, admitted a breach of duty in Natasha’s care. 

If Natasha’s headache symptoms had been correctly recorded she would have been advised to attend hospital within an hour if she was able to. If she wasn’t, an ambulance would have been sent to her home. 

Once at hospital Natasha’s condition would have been diagnosed and successfully treated. On the balance of probabilities she would have survived, Yorkshire Ambulance Service admitted.

Rosie Charlton is the expert medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Nick. 

Expert Opinion

“This is a truly tragic case. Nick and the rest of Natasha’s family are traumatised by her avoidable death and the circumstances surrounding it.

“Worrying issues have been admitted regarding Natasha’s 111 call and they vividly highlight the importance of patients being fully listened to so the best decisions are made regarding care.

“As we work with the Ambulance Service towards a settlement which will secure the future of Natasha and Nick’s son we urge it to learn lessons from Natasha’s death so others don’t have to endure what they have.” Rosie Charlton

Medical negligence: Natasha Hewitt's story

Natasha, who was studying for a business management with accounting degree through the Open University, started complaining of back pain on 8 December, 2022. 

Three days later she had started taking strong painkillers for a headache. She managed to go Christmas shopping with Nick and Harry. During their last shopping trip together, the couple bought Harry his first pair of shoes. 

On 14 December Nick drove her to a walk-in medical centre where Natasha was prescribed antibiotics and painkillers for a suspected left ear infection.

The following day Natasha started vomiting. Following the call with NHS 111, a GP prescribed her more antibiotics. 

However, her condition continued to deteriorate. Nick called for an ambulance on 16 December. 

Following brain surgery Natasha died at 1am on 18 December 2022. 

Natasha and Nick had suffered 11 miscarriages and two failed rounds of IVF before they found out they were expecting Harry. 

When Natasha was 25 weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with a blood clot in her placenta and doctors took the decision to deliver Harry 14 weeks premature in July 2021. The following month, Natasha, also received hospital treatment for a blood clot on her lung.

Harry, now aged four, spent 18 weeks in neonatal intensive care before he was allowed home to his parents. 

Nick reveals impact Natasha's death has had on family as he calls for lessons to be learned

Nick said: “Natasha was the most loving and devoted wife I could have ever hoped for. She was warm, funny, and incredibly bright. More than anything, she was my closest friend.

“We’d been through some tough times, but when Harry was born and home it felt like a new chapter in our lives. We’d do everything as the three of us and life seemed perfect.

“Watching her suffer during those final days was awful. I could see her condition getting worse but felt powerless to help. 

“We had no reason not to believe what Natasha had been told when she called 111. However, by the next day I knew I had to call 999. 

“I can’t thank the doctors and everyone else at hospital for everything they did to try and help Natasha but by that point it was too late. 

“Losing Natasha is something I’ll carry with me forever. We had so many plans and dreams for our future which have been left shattered.

“What’s most painful is knowing that Harry has lost his wonderful mum. I tell him about her and how proud she would be of him, but it breaks my heart that Harry can’t get to feel Natasha’s love first-hand. 

“Natasha didn’t deserve to go through what she did. I just hope that by sharing her story other families don’t experience what we have.”

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in supporting patients and families affected by care failings at our dedicated medical negligence section. Alternatively, to speak to an expert contact us or call 0370 1500 100.