Valerie Atkins suffered brain haemorrhage after being sent home by docs at Royal Free Hospital

Published: 08 July, 2010
by JOSIE HINTON

A WOMAN who went to the Royal Free Hospital suffering from headaches died from a brain haemorrhage 24 hours after doctors prescribed paracetamol and sent her home, an inquest heard.

Retired child-minder Valerie Atkins, 64, was taken to the Hampstead hospital’s A&E department by her husband Bill five days after suffering a seizure at her home in Torriano Avenue, Kentish Town, which caused her to fall and hit her head. 

She had suffered a brief loss of consciousness following the fall, and began to develop  headaches which continued to get worse until she went to the Royal Free on April 5 earlier this year.

But St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard on Tuesday that doctors decided not to give Mrs Atkins a CT scan – which might have revealed the brain injury she had suffered – and she was sent home.

She was taken by ambulance to University College Hospital (UCH) the next day when her headaches became more severe. A CT scan was then performed but Mrs Atkins had suffered a brain haemorrhage of such severity that surgeons could not operate and she died, the inquest was told.

During the hearing, coroner Selina Lynch raised questions over why Mrs Atkins was not given the scan when she was admitted at the ­Royal Free. The inquest heard how the hospital is governed by guidelines from the National Institute for Clinical (NICE), which the hospital says were followed by doctors treating Mrs Atkins.

Ms Lynch said: “My reading of these guidelines suggests the CT scan would be triggered if there had been a loss of consciousness and the patient was over 65, which would have applied in this case.”

But Dr Hannah Jenkins, a Royal Free A&E registrar, told the court: “The guidelines apply to injuries within the first 48 hours. In this case it was a number of days after the original injury. If you have a significant brain injury it is usual that symptoms would develop within those 48 hours. It would be very unusual for symptoms to develop a week after the event.”

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Ms Lynch said: “It is interesting to me that the protocol has actually been followed in this case but it makes me wonder whether protocols are that helpful. 

“Everybody is following protocol and sometimes it stops you from doing what you would do instinctively.” 

She added: “Whether or not an operation the evening before would have made any difference we’ll never know. There was perhaps a window of opportunity in the last 24 hours of her life but surgery is not always successful.”

Speaking outside the court, Mrs Atkins’ family called for a review of procedures governing  head injuries. 

Her daughter Alison said: “Our complaint is that she wasn’t given the scan she needed when she went into hospital. When someone is of a certain age the risks are higher and the scan should be compulsory.”

Paying tribute to his wife, Mr Atkins added: “We were married for 43 years and she was the best person in the world.”