Medical Negligence Lawyers Call For Improvements In Meningitis and Sepsis Diagnosis

An inquest into the death of Team GB triathlete Ellie Penrose, who died in August 2015 from Meningitis, has heard that she was ‘inappropriately discharged’ from Hull Royal Infirmary just hours before being rushed to hospital.

A doctor at the hospital, which is operated by Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, had diagnosed her with gastroenteritis and dehydration and sent her home with painkillers.

However, just hours later she was rushed to hospital and sadly died later the same day from “overwhelming sepsis” caused by meningococcal septicaemia.

A serious incident report written by the Trust following Ellie’s death found there had been “a failure in care” and that she had been inappropriately discharged from hospital.

The coroner adjourned the inquest in order to allow an expert to assess whether Ellie would have survived if she had been given antibiotics sooner.

If you or a loved one has suffered as a result of hospital negligence, we may be able to help you claim compensation. See our Medical Negligence Guide for more information.

Sarah Coles, an expert medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: 

Expert Opinion

The evidence that has emerged at the inquest into Ellie’s death is concerning. <br/> <br/>The serious incident report into her death found there was a failure of care when she arrived at Hull Royal Infirmary. We hope that the investigation conducted by the Trust will lead to significant changes in the way patients presenting these symptoms are handled in order to prevent similar tragic incidents in the future. Sarah Coles - Partner