A doctor who is also a mother is devastated by her son's death from sepsis at the hospital where she works, feeling deceived by the institution.

It was a tragic and heartbreaking story that shook the community. William Hewes, a young and vibrant 22-year-old, passed away at Homerton University Hospital in January 2023, just 24 hours after being admitted. He had developed sepsis from a meningitis infection caused by meningococcal bacteria. It was a devastating loss for his family and friends, who described him as a fit and healthy young man, studying history and politics at university.

Deborah Burns, a senior doctor at the hospital, had been working there for over 20 years when her son was admitted. She bravely came forward to share her story at the inquest, expressing her feelings of betrayal over the treatment her son received from her colleagues. She had not returned to work since her son's passing, and it was clear that the grief of losing her son would never truly go away.

The court heard that William arrived at the hospital in the early hours of the morning and was immediately taken to the resuscitation area. However, it wasn't until 4am that he was transferred to the intensive care unit. Dr. Burns' statement was read out, in which she expressed her belief that her son had been left unmonitored and untreated for too long, and that his care was not adequate until it was too late. She also shared a touching pen portrait of her son, describing him as a "mighty human being" and expressing the immense pain and feelings of betrayal that she and her family felt.

The court heard that medical staff had failed to promptly administer antibiotics to William, as per national guidelines. This delay was potentially fatal, and even though doctors and nurses involved in his care claimed that they were not aware of the urgency, Dr. Burns had raised her concerns with them multiple times. In her statement, she mentioned that she believed antibiotics were only given when she was present and that she had to repeatedly remind the medical staff.

As a witness, Dr. Burns had seen in the notes, CCTV footage, and statements that medical staff had failed to observe William in a "clinically useful way." She described his condition as deteriorating, with poor perfusion, blurred vision, and increasing agitation. She believed that he should have been transferred to the intensive care unit much sooner. In the ICU, his condition continued to worsen, and his mother described the room as chaotic and tense. She had a feeling that she would lose her son when the decision was made to intubate him, and she immediately called his father to come to the hospital.

In her pen portrait, Dr. Burns lovingly described her son as fiercely intelligent, funny, and adored by his family and friends. He was an excellent singer, a talented chef, and a passionate Arsenal fan. She shared that the world was a quieter and less vibrant place without him, and they had truly lost a mighty human being.

The court also heard from Dr. Mathuratha Sivasubramaniam, the ICU registrar working on the evening of William's admission. She had reviewed him multiple times before calling the ICU consultant and transferring him to intensive care. Dr. Petr Dlouhy, the consultant on call that night, admitted that he should have been contacted earlier and that it was likely that some treatments could have been started sooner. Dr. Ron Daniels, founder and CEO of the UK Sepsis Trust, stated that with prompt care, William would have had a chance of survival. He also mentioned that it was possible for non-specialist medical staff to deliver the necessary treatment.

The inquest also discussed the specific timeline of when antibiotics should have been administered, with the hospital's representative questioning the exact hour when the emergency medicine registrar diagnosed William. Dr. Daniels clarified that the intent was to make the diagnosis as soon as possible, and even if the outcome remained the same, the family would have known that everything had been done to save William.

It was a deeply emotional and upsetting inquest, and the loss of William Hewes was felt by all. His family and friends will never forget the vibrant and irreplaceable young man that he was, and they continue to mourn his passing. The inquest will continue on March 12, and it is hoped that lessons will be learned from this tragedy to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future.

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