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A coroner has highlighted a missed chance by paramedics to take Luke Abrahams, a young amateur footballer, to hospital before he tragically passed away from sepsis. Luke, who lived in East Hunsbury, Northampton, died on 23 January 2023 after also developing necrotising fasciitis, a severe and rare flesh-eating infection. During a four-day inquest held at The Guildhall in Northampton, assistant coroner Sophie Lomas acknowledged that earlier surgical intervention might have influenced the outcome, but she could not definitively state that earlier hospital admission would have saved Luke’s life. The ambulance service expressed deep regret over the missed opportunity to provide him with timely hospital care.
Initially, Luke was diagnosed with tonsillitis and given antibiotics, but his condition worsened significantly. He experienced severe leg pain and became immobile. On the early morning of 20 January, an out-of-hours doctor assessed him via a video consultation and diagnosed sciatica. Later that day, despite family concerns and Luke having a high temperature and elevated blood sugar levels, paramedics determined that he did not require hospitalisation. It was only two days afterward that he was admitted to the hospital, where he sadly died the following day.
The coroner explained that Luke suffered from the exceptionally rare Lemierre’s syndrome, an illness that is notoriously difficult to diagnose. His parents feel that errors in his care, including the initial incorrect diagnosis and delays in treatment, contributed to his death. However, Sophie Lomas emphasized the difficulty in establishing whether earlier hospital admission would have prevented Luke’s death due to the aggressive nature of the infection and its high mortality rate. The official conclusion recorded was that Luke died from cardiac arrest caused by septic shock. Evidence presented to the court included testimony from Susan Jevons, head of patient safety at East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EMAS), who confirmed that the severity of Luke’s symptoms warranted hospital transfer.
Family solicitor Elizabeth Maliakal described the inquest as an immensely challenging process for Luke’s family, concluding on the third anniversary of his death. She noted that the family heard from various health professionals who admitted that more could and should have been done, along with apologies for inadequate support when Luke was critically ill. Luke was evaluated by healthcare workers five times before hospital admission. Despite receiving some answers and apologies during the inquest, Maliakal pointed out that accountability had yet to be established. Afterward, family spokesperson Radd Seiger voiced the view that the ambulance crew should have transported Luke to hospital 48 hours earlier, believing this could have significantly increased his chances of survival. The family intends to pursue a civil claim against EMAS.
In response to the inquest, Keeley Sheldon, EMAS’s director of quality, expressed deep sorrow for the failure to admit Luke to hospital in a timely manner and extended condolences to his family on the third anniversary of his death. An investigation conducted earlier in the year prompted the ambulance trust to take corrective actions, and further reviews will be undertaken to prevent similar incidents in the future. Similarly, the NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board offered condolences and committed to working collaboratively with partners to improve services based on lessons learned. Meanwhile, the family’s spokesman reiterated their determination to seek accountability through legal means by pursuing a claim against the ambulance service
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