Dying patient, 21, forced to ring 999 from hospital bed
A HOSPITAL patient dialled 999 from his bed on the ward because it was the ‘only way to get help’, an inquest has heard.
Football data analyst Evan Smith, 21, who had sickle cell disease, made the call because he had been refused more oxygen by nursing staff.
He died of multiple organ failure two days later – and a doctor told the inquest his life may have been saved if a blood transfusion had been given earlier. North London Coroners’ Court was told Mr Smith had been readmitted to the North Middlesex Hospital following an operation and was suffering from sepsis – a life-threatening over-reaction to an infection by the immune system.
This is thought to have triggered a sickle cell crisis, which causes acute pain as blood vessels become blocked.
The disease is named after the unusually shaped red blood cells produced by patients which can form dangerous clots. On April 23, Mr Smith had seriously low blood-oxygen levels, a symptom of the condition, and asked staff at the hospital for more oxygen.
Coroner Andrew Walker QC said the patient ‘knew very well what was happening’ having recognised the signs from previous episodes.
Mr Smith told his family he had called the London Ambulance Service because he thought it was the only way to get the help he needed, the inquest heard. The inquest was not told the ambulance service’s response. Mr Smith was in a ‘ lodger’ bed – a bed added to a ward for extra capacity. After his call, doctors considered giving oxygen but the plan was halted because the temporary bed did not have ‘oxygen ports’.
When he was seen by a haematologist later that day, he was finally prescribed oxygen but was already in the early stages of a sickle cell crisis.
His condition worsened and, despite doctors ordering a blood transfusion the next day at around 11am, ‘significant delays’ meant he did not get it until later. He had a series of cardiac arrests on the night of April 24 and was confirmed dead at 5.55am on April 25.
One of the hospital’s blood specialists Dr Arne De Kreuk, who had previously treated Mr Smith, was asked if a transfusion been given when the symptoms appeared on April 23, ‘would the outcome would have been different?’.
Dr De Kreuk replied: ‘On the balance of probabilities, I would say yes.’
A pathologist found the cause of death to be multiple organ failure and a stroke. The inquest continues.
‘A different outcome’