A 16-year-old girl tragically lost her life after doctors failed to identify her first-ever asthma attack and discharged her inappropriately. | (Photo Courtesy: X/@scarletwdaily)
London: A 16-year-old girl tragically lost her life after doctors failed to identify her first-ever asthma attack and discharged her inappropriately.
Billie Wicks was taken to the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north London, last September by her worried parents. However, a coroner’s report found that crucial observations and reviews, which could have saved her, were not conducted.
The hospital’s A&E department was reportedly understaffed that night, adding to the oversight.
As per a report by Daily Mail, the NHS staff reassured Wicks’ family that they could return if needed after discharging her from the Royal Free Hospital in the early hours, failing to recognise the severity of her asthma attack.
Coroner Mary Hassell found that this advice dulled her parents’ urgency to seek medical help when her condition worsened. Wicks died the next day, on September 15, 2024, and an inquest was opened two days later.
Hassell has now warned the hospital that without action, more lives could be at risk. The inquest revealed Wicks had arrived at A&E just before midnight in September 2023, the night before her death.
Wicks had no prior history of asthma, making her sudden symptoms at 16 unusual, the inquest heard. Hassell noted that due to a busy and understaffed A&E, Wicks was discharged at 3:30 AM without proper observations or a senior review, leading to a missed diagnosis.
Hassell concluded that with timely treatment, Wicks likely would have survived. In her Prevention of Future Deaths report, she highlighted ongoing staff shortages at the Royal Free Hospital, emphasising that regular monitoring could have alerted doctors to her worsening condition before discharge.
Hassell stated that a senior medical review could have saved Wicks’ life. The emergency registrar prescribed an antibiotic but failed to administer the first dose, delaying treatment. Hassell noted a potential need for training and updated guidelines, as the registrar was unaware of adult-onset asthma.
She also referenced the 2023 death of four-year-old Daniel Klosi from sepsis at the same hospital. Despite different circumstances, his case similarly highlighted concerns over inadequate patient observations. Hassell had previously warned the hospital about this issue in August 2024.
Hassell criticised the NHS practice of “safety netting,” stating that Wicks’ parents had already sought medical help out of concern but were reassured by staff, which later dulled their instinct to return. She called for action to prevent future deaths, addressing concerns to the Royal Free Hospital, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, who must respond by May 12. The hospital expressed condolences and stated that staffing levels have been increased and alert processes improved following an internal review.
