A schoolboy who begged doctors to save his life died from meningitis after being misdiagnosed by five different doctors in three days.

A coroner has ‘severely criticised’ NHS staff after hearing evidence about the death of 10-year-old William Cressey, who died in March 2005.

The Daily Mail reports that William’s mother, Cheryl Cressey, had told doctors she thought her son was suffering from meningitis, but was told to give him Calpol as they believed he was suffering from migraine. Just hours before his death, William begged one of the doctors at Darlington Memorial Hospital, ‘Please help me. I’m going to die.’

William died after being discharged by doctors and then readmitted to the hospital by his mother, who begged them not to send him home again.

The schoolboy slipped into a coma and died after suffering ‘catastrophic’ brain damage. His mother had to take the decision to switch off his life support, the inquest at Newcastle Civic Centre heard on Friday (23/10/09).

The coroner heard that NHS staff could not prove they had effectively observed William during his first stay in hospital, discharged him without ‘full examination’ – and decided against offering him antibiotics that might have saved his life once he had been readmitted.

Coroner David Mitford said that there were no medical records of William’s treatment.

Consultant paediatrician Dr Godfrey Nyamugunduru said he had examined William but had ‘ruled out’ meningitis as the cause of his headaches and asked that he be observed throughout the day.

Staff nurse Christopher Kirby said that he had kept personal notes on William’s condition – but had later thrown them away. He denied that Mrs Cressey had asked for her son to be given antibiotics and for staff to call a doctor. He said the boy was ‘calm and comfortable’ – and not suffering from ‘excruciating headaches’ with pus weeping from his eyes, as his mother had claimed.

Senior house officer Dr Agadoorappa said she had discharged William without examining him or checking his records because no one had raised any concerns with her about him.

Mrs Cressey rushed her son back to the hospital when he began to lose consciousness and repeatedly told doctors that she thought he had meningitis, but they ‘ignored’ her.

The inquest heard that the staff grade in paediatrics, Dr Arum, rang his superior to check whether William should be given antibiotics, but he was told not to because meningitis had already been ruled out.

The inquest continues.

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