Student ‘likely to have lived if he had been given face-to-face appointment’

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The failure to arrange an in-person examination of musician David Nash when he complained to an advanced nurse practitioner of fever, neck stiffness and night-time headaches was a “missed opportunity”, assistant coroner Abigail Combes told Wakefield Coroner’s Court on Friday. The coroner said in her narrative conclusion: “On November 2 2020 there was a missed opportunity to direct David to seek face-to-face care during his GP appointment that morning. “Had he been directed to seek face-to-face or urgent care by the GP practice it is more likely than not that he would have undergone neurosurgery approximately 10 hours earlier than he actually did which, at that time, it is more likely than not would have been successful.” A week-long inquest heard how Mr Nash first contacted Burley Park Medical Practice, in Leeds, on October 14 2020, and told a GP over the phone about his concerns about lumps on his neck. GP expert Alastair Bint said the nurse should have organised an urgent in-person appointment after the fourth phone consultation on November 2, 2020 as his symptoms were “red flags”.