Billie Wicks

“At inquest, I heard repeatedly that on the night [the deceased] attended, the Royal Free emergency department was understaffed, and that it remains understaffed of doctors, nurses, and even a healthcare assistant who could take basic observations.”

“The registrar who saw [the deceased] the night before her death prescribed an antibiotic, but he was not in the habit of giving the first dose in the department and he did not on this occasion. This meant that [the deceased]'s infection was not tackled as quickly as it could have been. This seems to indicate a training and potentially a guideline need.”

“At the time of [the deceased]'s presentation, the registrar was unaware of the possibility of adult onset asthma. This seems to indicate a training and potentially a guideline need.”

“I heard that [the deceased] was safety netted when she was discharged. Her parents were told to bring her back if they had any concerns. I have heard this safety netting advice being described many, many times in different inquests.”

“Whilst I doubt that it would have made a difference in this case, I understand that blood pressure is not yet an observation included in the national paediatric early warning score (PEWS).”