Meningitis victim died after being denied drugs in hospital

Joanne Dowling, 25, was rushed to hospital with suspected meningococcal septicaemia but died after a "breakdown in communication" between doctors meant she was not given the potentially life-saving drugs.

The cystic fibrosis sufferer was taken to Milton Keynes General Hospital, Buckinghamshire, by an ambulance after her GP saw what the inquest heard was an unmistakable purple rash on her body and diagnosed suspected meningococcal septicaemia. He wrote a note for the hospital and gave her penicillin.

At hospital, a locum consultant sent Miss Dowling for a CT brain scan and a lumbar puncture, and recommended a microbiologist was consulted to advise on the best type of antibiotic to use because of her cystic fibrosis.

But when the lumbar puncture returned with a negative result, Dr Christian Akubuine, who had taken over her care, decided no antibiotics were needed.

The inquest heard from a pathologist who said meningococcal septicaemia does not always show up as a positive result in such tests.

But instead of getting antibiotics, Miss Dowling was put on an observation ward where she documented the spreading rash in a series of photographs sent via texts from her mobile phone to her mother and a friend, saying she feared she was "getting worse".

She died in the early hours of November 24 last year, 14 hours after being admitted.

Medics at the hospital told the inquest they did not see the rash on her body.

Milton Keynes Coroner Thomas Osborne recorded a narrative verdict, telling the inquest: "On November 23, Joanne Dowling was referred to the Milton Keynes General Hospital by her general practitioner with suspected meningococcal septicaemia.

"As a result of a breakdown in communication, the antibiotic therapy that was included as part of the treatment plan was not continued and resulted in a lost opportunity to render further medical treatment, and she died of meningococcal septicaemia at 5.20am on November 24, 2009."

Her father Ivor Dowling, 52, said: "If she had been given antibiotics she would have survived. The hospital failed her."

In a statement, Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation trust said there was a "comprehensive internal investigation to review her care and treatment" and that recommendations made at its conclusion were already being put in place.

Miss Dowling was awaiting a lung transplant when she died.