A doctor who rushed her seriously ill son to the east London hospital where she worked, and where he later died of sepsis, says she feels “betrayed” by the way her family was treated.
William Hewes, 22, died within 24 hours of being admitted to Homerton University Hospital after his meningitis developed into sepsis in January 2023.
Dr Deborah Burns said she repeatedly queried the speed of his treatment and has since been unable to return to work there.
Repeated Requests for Antibiotics
While at the hospital, Dr Burns said she asked staff eight times if they had given him antibiotics, but they weren’t administered with sufficient urgency.
Senior coroner Mary Hassell accepted Dr Burns’ account but said it wasn’t clear if earlier treatment would have saved Mr Hewes.
Hospital’s Response Questioned
Following her son’s death, Dr Burns later discovered the hospital had decided against an inquiry, claiming “there were no delays” in treatment.
“I am now much more aware of the deeply ingrained, defensive culture within the NHS. I trusted them, I felt betrayed,” she said.
This case emerges amid growing controversies surrounding NHS healthcare quality and efficiency, with increasing concerns about patient safety and response times across the system.