I made errors over teenager who died, NHS call handler tells inquest

A CALL handler with the NHS non-emergency 111 service admitted he made mistakes under pressure in the way he dealt with the case of a teenager suffering a fatal suspected allergic reaction.

Ademola Dada said he did things “very differently” when taking a call during a “busy” period from the mother of 18-yearold Shante Turay-Thomas on September 14 last year, including failing to act on information about the victim’s nut allergy, not engaging with a clinician over her worsening condition, and not checking the caller’s address was correct.

The 18-year-old student initially said she felt unwell, but her condition deteriorated significantly while her mother, Emma Turay, was on the phone to the 111 service from the family home in Wood Green, north London.

Ms Turay-Thomas, an aspiring lawyer, slipped into unconsciousness and died in hospital hours later.

Giving evidence as the partheard inquest resumed at St Pancras Coroner’s Court on Monday, Mr Dada admitted he made mistakes, but said his priority was not to deviate from the NHS Pathways symptoms assessment service in order to get an ambulance to the sick patient.

Mr Dada said: “I think there are a number of things I didn’t do correctly in this case. There are a number of things I would have done differently.”

He said “in hindsight” he would have spoken to the patient directly to gauge how significant her breathing issues were. The inquest earlier heard how the patient’s mother described to Mr Dada that her daughter had a rash, tingling at the back of her throat, and she might have eaten nuts. Asked by coroner Mary Hassell whether he should have considered the prospect that Ms Turay-Thomas was having an allergic reaction, Mr Dada said: “In hindsight, yes, it would have been appropriate to ask.” The case continues