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Engineer's Death: Missed Symptoms, Fatal Misdiagnosis
17 Aug
Summary
- An engineer died from a brain bleed after his symptoms were repeatedly misdiagnosed as sinusitis.
- Multiple healthcare providers failed to refer the engineer for emergency care for weeks.
- A coroner identified multiple missed opportunities that likely led to his preventable death.
An engineer's death from a subdural hemorrhage, a rare brain bleed, has been attributed to multiple missed opportunities in medical care. Shre Chatterjee initially experienced a severe headache on August 14, 2023, and spent nearly two months seeking medical attention. During this period, he was seen by several doctors and practitioners who diagnosed his condition as probable sinusitis, prescribing medication and other treatments.
Despite persistent pain and worsening symptoms, including blurred vision and memory loss, Mr. Chatterjee was unable to secure timely face-to-face appointments. His GP appointment was repeatedly cancelled, and an out-of-hours doctor advised him to contact his GP. Tragically, he was found unresponsive at home on October 10, 2023, and taken to University Hospital Southampton. Imaging revealed a brain bleed, and he passed away on October 12, 2023.
An inquest in September 2025 concluded that a failure to access direct booking systems for GP appointments contributed to the delay. The Area Coroner in Hampshire, Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp, highlighted that earlier face-to-face assessments by a doctor, particularly one familiar with the patient, could have led to a swifter diagnosis and a higher likelihood of survival. A report has been sent to relevant health organizations for response.
