A law student who died from a brain abscess would probably still be alive had he been taken to hospital earlier, an inquest has heard. David Nash, 26, had four phone consultations with a Leeds GP practice in October and November 2020. He died after finally going to hospital when his condition deteriorated.
Neurosurgeon Simon Howarth told the inquest: 'Had this intervention been 10 hours previously, his death would probably have been avoided.' It was later found that he had developed mastoiditis in his ear, causing an abscess on his brain.
Earlier this week, Dr Alastair Bint, an expert in general practice, said Lynne White, a nurse at Burley Park Medical Centre, in Leeds, should have organised an urgent, face-to-face appointment with a doctor for Mr Nash following his final telephone consultation on 2 November 2020. Dr Bint said this would probably have led to a hospital admission. He was not critical of the remote nature of Mr Nash's first three remote consultations.
In his report, read to the hearing on Wednesday, neurosurgeon Mr Howarth concluded: 'On the balance of probabilities, had this intervention been 10 hours previously, his death would probably have been avoided.' Mr Nash died on 4 November 2020, despite efforts to save him by neurosurgeons at Leeds General Infirmary.
He had just started the second year of a law degree at Leeds University. His family said the keen drummer had spent a number of years on the Leeds music scene, recording an album and touring Europe with his band Weirds. The inquest, being held in Wakefield, is expected to conclude on Friday.
