Coroner warns of “multiple failures” that contributed to child’s death from asthma

A coroner has written to the health secretary, Victoria Atkins, to report “multiple failures” by doctors, nurses, and ambulance staff to take action that would have saved the life of a 10 year old boy with asthma.1

Essex area coroner Sonia Hayes found that William Gray’s death was contributed to by neglect and that he died “as a consequence of failures by healthcare professionals to recognise the severity and frequency of his asthma symptomology and the consequential risk to his life that was obvious.” In a report aimed at preventing future deaths she added, “William’s death was avoidable. There were multiple failures to escalate and treat William’s very poorly controlled asthma by healthcare professionals that would and should have saved …