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NHS 24 Worker Told Dying Girl to 'Take a Pill'

Posted on: Wednesday, 5 October 2005, 18:00 CDT

By SARAH BRUCE

THE father of a girl who died from meningitis broke down yesterday as he listened to a tape of her pleading for a doctor.

Shomi Miah's family had called the NHS 24 helpline.

But despite knowing the 17-year-old had suffered from the disease previously, a nurse told the teenager to take paracetamol and drink plenty of water as it was 'probably' a virus or flu.

She added that doctors only made night house calls in 'a real emergency'.

Less than 24 hours later Shomi, a pupil at Harlaw Academy, Aberdeen, was dead.

Shomi's father, Chandon Miah, broke down as he listened to the tape on the first day of a joint fatal accident inquiry in the city.

It will also look at the events surrounding the death of Steven Wiseman, who allegedly died of septic shock after NHS 24 medics told him to take painkillers.

Mr Miah, 60, of Aberdeen, told the hearing: 'If people are very worried about sisters, daughters or fathers, they're going to call NHS 24 for help.

'They don't need phone calls saying give her paracetamol.

How can they make a decision by telephone?

'My daughter passed away I don't want any other daughters to go through this kind of suffering again and again.' Asked why he did not take Shomi to hospital himself, he said: 'I could not take her to the bathroom; how could I take her to hospital? She was too ill to move.' Shomi fell ill after returning from school on October 25 last year. She complained of a sore neck, headache, uncontrollable shivering and feeling extremely cold.

Her brother Anis, 16, called NHS 24 at about 5.30pm and Shomi spoke to the nurse, telling her how she felt and that she had had meningitis in the past.

But her symptoms were put down to a virus or flu.

Shomi's brother Kajal, 25, told the court that when his sister was lying on the settee, 'her whole body was shaking. I didn't want to believe she could have meningitis again.' Shomi's condition improved for a while, but at about 11.30pm she took a turn for the worse and went to bed about an hour later.

In the early hours of the morning, Mr Miah called NHS 24 again as Shomi was vomiting, shaking uncontrollably and struggling to speak. She managed to tell the advisor she had pins and needles and she was dizzy. After being asked to check for a rash, she said she did not have one.

Shomi then asked: 'Can I get a doctor?' But the NHS 24 worker told her it could be up to four hours before a doctor could come and see her, adding: 'They'll only do home visits if there's a real emergency.' A short while later a doctor called the family back at their insistence and came to the house at about Shomi was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, unable to walk, and died at 8pm that day.

The inquiry is expected to run for seven days.

5.30am.

The fatal call

A TAPE of the call,which lasted about 15 minutes, was played to the court, with the NHS 24 nurse asking to speak to Shomi.

Shomi was heard saying she had pins and needles, was dizzy, her hands and feet felt cold, she had a sore headand her skin was burning.

Shomi then asked:'Can I get a doctor?' But the NHS 24 worker said it could be up to four hours before a doctor could come to see her.

Asked when she had meningitisbefore, Shomi said: 'Eight years ago.' The nurse said: 'This is really important. I need you to check yourself all over for a rash, OK?

'I will hold on here and I want you to take your time and check everywhere for a rash.' After a pause, Shomi said: 'I can't find anything.' The nurse also asked:'Can you manage to put your chin on your chest?' Shomi replied: 'No. It's sore at my neck.' The nurse then asked:'Would you manage up to see a doctor?They can only do home visits if it's a real emergency.' But Shomi replied:'I am really sore around my neck.' The nurse then told her father, Chandon Miah: 'We need to get her checked out by a doctor and the quickest way to get her seen is to get her up to the centre.'For a doctor to come out it can beanything up to four hours.' She told Shomi:'It seems as if you have flu-like symptoms.' And she told Mr Miah:'I will pass the information through and arrange for the doctor to call you back. If she gets worse while you are waiting call us back. It's reassuring she has no rashand is tolerating the light.'

Source: Daily Mail; London (UK)

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