Leeds student 'likely to have lived' if he'd have been seen in person

A coroner has ruled a Leeds student was likely to have lived if he'd been given a face to face doctors appointment.

26-year-old David Nash, who was a law student, complained of fever, a stiff neck and headaches during four remote consultations.

An inquest this week found a brain abscess would have been detected and treated earlier if he'd been checked in person.

The failure to arrange an in-person examination David Nash when he complained to an advanced nurse practitioner was a "missed opportunity", assistant coroner Abigail Combes told Wakefield Coroner's Court on Friday.

Ms Combes said the failure of the Leeds GP surgery to see Mr Nash face to face after his fourth consultation meant the neurosurgery he underwent on what turned out to be a brain abscess was 10 hours later than it could have been.

The coroner said:

"On November 2 2020 there was a missed opportunity to direct David to seek face-to-face care during his GP appointment that morning.

"Had he been directed to seek face-to-face or urgent care by the GP practice it is more likely than not that he would have undergone neurosurgery approximately 10 hours earlier than he actually did which, at that time, it is more likely than not would have been successful."

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