Natasha was dismissed as having an ear infection or migraine – but she could have been saved
An ambulance service has admitted missing opportunities to save a mum who died from a blood clot on her brain – after her symptoms were dismissed as an ear infection. Natasha Hewitt, 35, died three days after NHS call-handers failed to urgently refer her to hospital for life-saving treatment.
The mum-of-one had contacted the NHS 111 helpline for advice after suffering from migraine-like symptoms for several days. She had previously been given antibiotics and painkillers by doctors for a suspected ear infection after she attended a walk-in centre. During the call, she complained she had been unable to get rid of her headache, which came on suddenly and felt like “someone had hit her with a brick”.
Natasha, of Sheffield, was also suffering from dizziness and difficulty standing – but the call handler failed to refer her to hospital. She should have been advised to attend hospital within the hour or if she was unable to get there an ambulance should have been dispatched.
Instead, she was told to contact her GP for further advice that morning, which she did and was prescribed further medication. But around 24 hours later husband, Nick, called 999, and Natasha was rushed into hospital. She was diagnosed with a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis – a large blood clot on the brain – and transferred to a specialist brain unit for surgery.
However, she tragically died two days later leaving behind Nick, 44, and her then 16-month-old son Harry, just a week before Christmas 2022. Yorkshire Ambulance Service, which ran the 111 helpline, has now admitted a breach of duty in Natasha’s care.
The service agreed if her condition had been diagnosed and successfully treated, on the balance of probabilities she would have survived. An inquest also previously ruled there was a “missed opportunity” to refer Natasha to hospital earlier and neglect had contributed to her death.
Heartbroken Nick said: “Natasha was the most loving and devoted wife I could have ever hoped for. She was warm, funny, and incredibly bright. More than anything, she was my closest friend. We’d been through some tough times, but when Harry was born and home it felt like a new chapter in our lives.
“We’d do everything as the three of us and life seemed perfect. Watching her suffer during those final days was awful. I could see her condition getting worse but felt powerless to help. We had no reason not to believe what Natasha had been told when she called 111. However, by the next day I knew I had to call 999.
“I can’t thank the doctors and everyone else at hospital for everything they did to try and help Natasha but by that point it was too late. Losing Natasha is something I’ll carry with me forever. We had so many plans and dreams for our future which have been left shattered.
“What’s most painful is knowing that Harry has lost his wonderful mum. I tell him about her and how proud she would be of him, but it breaks my heart that Harry can’t get to feel Natasha’s love first-hand. Natasha didn’t deserve to go through what she did. I just hope that by sharing her story other families don’t experience what we have.”
Natasha, who was studying for a business management with accounting degree through the Open University, started complaining of back pain on December 8, 2022. Three days later she had started taking strong painkillers for a headache. She managed to go Christmas shopping with Nick and Harry where the couple bought Harry his first pair of shoes.
On December 14 Nick drove her to a walk-in medical centre where Natasha was prescribed antibiotics and painkillers for a suspected left ear infection. The following day Natasha started vomiting. Following the call with NHS 111, a GP prescribed her more antibiotics.
However, her condition continued to deteriorate and Nick called for an ambulance on December 16. Following brain surgery Natasha died at 1am on December 18, 2022. Natasha and Nick had suffered 11 miscarriages and two failed rounds of IVF before they found out they were expecting Harry
When Natasha was 25 weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with a blood clot in her placenta and doctors took the decision to deliver Harry 14 weeks premature in July 2021. The following month, Natasha, also received hospital treatment for a blood clot on her lung.
Harry, now aged four, spent 18 weeks in neonatal intensive care before he was allowed home to his parents. Rosie Charlton, the medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Nick said: “This is a truly tragic case. Nick and the rest of Natasha’s family are traumatised by her avoidable death and the circumstances surrounding it.
“Worrying issues have been admitted regarding Natasha’s 111 call and they vividly highlight the importance of patients being fully listened to so the best decisions are made regarding care. As we work with the Ambulance Service towards a settlement which will secure the future of Natasha and Nick’s son we urge it to learn lessons from Natasha’s death so others don’t have to endure what they have.”
According to the NHS, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is a blood clot in the cavernous sinuses, which are located under the brain behind the eyes. A blood clot can develop when an infection in the face or skull spreads to the cavernous sinuses. Sometimes, clots can develop without infection.
Symptoms include: a sharp and severe headache, swelling and bulging of the eyes, double vision and a high temperature. Peter Reading, the chief executive at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts remain with Natasha Hewitt’s family following her death in December 2022.
“On behalf of the Trust, I would like to reiterate our sincere and unreserved apologies for the NHS 111 service failing to meet the high standard of care that all of our patients are entitled to expect. The incident was fully investigated and learning from this has been used to make improvements to the care and services we provide.”