Girl who died 'should have gone back to hospital'

Zara Cheesman's parents said there were missed opportunities to treat her

A 15-year-old girl who died of meningitis would have "more than likely survived" if she had been taken back to hospital by an ambulance service, an inquest has heard.

Zara Cheesman, from Nottingham, died at the Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) on 23 December 2024, four days after she started to feel unwell.

Nottingham Coroner's Court heard she had been taken to A&E by her parents on 19 December and was later discharged. A day later, an East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) crew was sent out.

But a decision was not made to take her to hospital by ambulance technician Michael Hoy, who said: "My initial impression was Zara did not look critically unwell."

Zara's parents, Dr Judith Ramage and Dr Mark Cheesman, said in a statement to the court they "felt ignored" when they relayed her symptoms of increasing confusion, urinary incontinence, a severe headache and a fever to the ambulance crew.

The court heard Zara was sent home the day before from A&E with "suspected norovirus".

Zara died at the QMC in Nottingham on 23 December 2024

Mr Hoy, who has been an ambulance technician for 17 years, told the inquest he did not believe Zara needed to go back to hospital on 21 December as there were "no real red flags and thought "she was still suffering from a vomiting bug or norovirus".

But assistant coroner for Nottinghamshire, Dr Elizabeth Didcock, said Mr Hoy "decided on a diagnosis" based on the previous assessment she had in hospital the day before.

Mr Hoy, who appeared visibly upset throughout his testimony, replied: "I think it did, yes."

The technician said he should have investigated the symptoms further around confusion, urinary incontinence and the severe headache, but did not.

The coroner said: "You have done the wrong thing in not conveying to hospital."

Mr Hoy replied: "In hindsight I should have spoken to the clinical lead... my judgement was wrong.

"I'm never going to leave anybody at home ever again without clinical lead's approval."

Zara was described as a "highly intelligent A* student" with a "kind heart"

The inquest heard Zara collapsed at home about 16 hours later at 04:30 BST and was "not responding" to her name or by touch and was not breathing normally.

Her parents called 999 and a category one ambulance response was issued but Zara went into respiratory arrest before being taken to hospital.

Dr Craig Stewart, who treated Zara at the QMC, told the court he shared Zara's parents' concerns around the teenager's assessment by EMAS and was of the opinion there had been a "missed opportunity".

"If she had presented at that time, I'm certain she would have triggered a full clinical assessment for possible sepsis or meningitis – I am certain she would have received antibiotics at that point," he said.

When asked about her chances of survival if she had been brought in by EMAS the previous day, Dr Stewart added: "If she had had been brought in for a full clinical assessment and treatment then she would have more than likely survived, yes."