The family of tragic young mum Kirsty Childs made numerous calls for a doctor before she was seen by her GP only to be found dead, an inquest heard.
Kirsty, 20, from Denby Dale, was suffering abdominal pains and vomiting in the week between Christmas 2012 and New Year 2013.
Her family made a series of calls to NHS Direct, Yorkshire Ambulance service and her GP practice, but it wasn’t until January 2 that a doctor made a home visit only to find Kirsty, mum to toddler Alisia, dead in bed.
Trevor Baldwin from Yorkshire Ambulance Service, told the inquest in Bradford that Kirsty’s mother had called NHS Direct in the early hours of January 2 after Kirsty began to notice blood in her vomit and was told to visit hospital.
But after calling an ambulance, Kirsty’s case was deemed not serious enough and she was instead referred to a clinical advisor.
Mr Baldwin said a doctor’s visit was recommended as otherwise she “would have been on a trolley for four or five hours” had an ambulance been sent.
He said: “A GP can admit straight to an isolated ward and I think that’s a key point in this, that she had the best wish at heart.”
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But assistant coroner Mary Burke said: “Had a paramedic seen Kirsty at this time they would have realised how gravely ill she was.
“If she had been taken in by a paramedic she would not have been sat on a stretcher for four hours because she was in shock and gravely ill and would have needed extreme intervention.”
Mr Baldwin explained that the ambulance would only have visited if Kirsty’s symptoms met a set of criteria, such as loss of consciousness, haemorrhage, chest pains or breathing problems.
But Ms Burke suggested Kirsty was already suffering difficulties breathing after she gasped twice for breath while speaking to an operator at NHS Direct.
The inquest also revealed Kirsty’s vomit was black, an indicator of serious illness.
Mr Baldwin said, although a serious symptom, this hadn’t been conveyed to operators.
The inquest had been due to finish today but has been adjourned until the New Year.
