Devastated parents 'let down by NHS' after daughter, 15, died of meningitis

Parents of Zara Cheesman have said they “misplaced” their trust in NHS staff after they said medics missed two chances to save their teen daughter’s life when she caught meningitis.

Zara Cheesman’s mother and father told an inquest the their “trust was completely misplaced”after she was sent home fromA&E when staff missed “red flags” for the disease.

The 15-year-old died at Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham two days before Christmas last year after showing indicators of the disease, Nottingham Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday.

Zara, from the Mapperley Park area of Nottingham vomited through the night after she fell ill on December 19. At 1am she collapsed and banged her head. Her mother Judith Cheesman, phoned 111 after her daughter complained of neck and shoulder pain with the call handler advising a trip to A&E, coroner Elizabeth Didcock heard.

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The inquest was told that when she arrived at QMC a trainee nurse practitioner said Zara could have meningitis but thought it was more likely to be a stomach bug. Paediatric emergency medicine registrar, Dr Derek Huffadine, told the inquest he considered it could be meningitis but decided not to do blood tests on Zara before discharging her.

Dr Huffadine said: “(It was) a short illness which the predominant feature was vomiting which seemed to be getting better. She was very eloquent… she looked well but tired. I feel at that time it was difficult to say she had meningitis. It was in early form in terms of the presentation.

“From examining Zara, and listening to Zara, I did not feel that blood tests would help at this point. I honestly did not think Zara had meningitis. I’m more careful about giving general guidance if you don’t think your child is well or something has changed, come back.”

In a statement read to the court, Zara’s parents said: “We are frustrated to hear that he did not think a blood test was a logical test to do. The nurse practitioner suspected meningitis. Antibiotics should have been given as soon as possible. We are devastated and upset that meningitis was ruled out without the correct tests.”

The next day Zara woke up “confused” and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) technicians attended the family home. Zara’s parents had concerns that the technicians “did not properly examine her or listen to what we were saying” and one of them “discouraged” the family from going back to hospital, the inquest was told.

In their statement, Zara’s parents said: “We believe they decided she had norovirus. We did not think we were being taken seriously. There were also red flags of being confused and delirious. Zara should have been immediately conveyed to A&E.”

Zara’s dad, Mark Cheesman, asked if there was any possibility of meningitis but a technician told him there was not, the inquest heard. The next morning she was taken to hospital by paramedics after she ell off the sofa at home and became “limp”. She died on December 23 at 2.25pm.

Her parents’ statement said: “We were let down by NHS staff from two different trusts who should be experts. The two chances to save her had been missed. Zara died of meningitis which is easily treatable. We understand, in the past, antibiotics would have been given at the first thought of meningitis. Our trust was completely misplaced.”

Zara’s mother described her daughter as an A* student who was a “force of nature” She said: “She was incredibly kind, empathetic, intelligent, funny, often stubborn and highly opinionated, having always cared deeply for those close to her.”

The inquest heard she wanted to study law at university and become a human rights lawyer, with her mother adding they had “no doubt she would have achieved her hopes and dreams and purpose”.

The inquest, which is expected to last three days, continues.