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NHS 111 Script Blamed for Woman's Untimely Death
10 Aug
Summary
- A coroner highlighted an NHS 111 script error post-fall.
- The incorrect script allegedly delayed crucial clinical treatment.
- Changes to NHS 111 scripts are now being urgently recommended.
A coroner is advocating for significant revisions to NHS 111 call scripts after a woman's death following a fall that was allegedly downplayed. Christine Clegg, aged 79, passed away in June 2025 due to a traumatic brain injury sustained in an unwitnessed fall at a Hull care home.
Following the fall, a call to NHS 111 resulted in the operator using a script intended for minor wounds. This script was incorrectly applied to Mrs. Clegg's head injury, leading to the situation being downplayed and delaying essential clinical treatment.
Assistant coroner Sally Robinson emphasized that the 'scratches, grazes or minor wounds' script was followed instead of the appropriate 'head, facial or neck injury' pathway. This deviation meant that carers received only basic first aid instructions, rather than the recommended clinician input.
Mrs. Clegg's condition worsened over subsequent days, leading to her hospital admission and eventual death. The coroner has formally requested changes from Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust and NHS Pathways to prevent similar occurrences.
