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Inquest: Care Errors Led to Teen's Preventable Death
31 Jul
Summary
- A 19-year-old with a rare blood disorder died due to preventable medical mistakes.
- The inquest found Isaac was never referred to a virtual ward he was promised.
- His parents stated Isaac "should still be here" after the findings.
Isaac Arrowsmith, a 19-year-old with Haemoglobin Rainier disease, died from a pulmonary embolus and deep vein thrombosis. An inquest concluded his death was preventable due to significant "mistakes" in his care.
Isaac first presented with chest pain and breathlessness on December 19, 2025. He was diagnosed with pneumonia at Macclesfield District General Hospital and discharged without tests for a pulmonary embolism, despite presenting symptoms.
Returning to the hospital on December 31, he was placed under a respiratory virtual ward instead of being admitted. He later returned to the hospital, but waited nearly 20 hours without being seen.
On January 2, Isaac collapsed at home and died. The inquest revealed he was never referred to the virtual ward and should have been admitted to hospital.
His parents, Neil and Louise Arrowsmith, expressed their anguish, stating Isaac "should still be here with us today." The coroner highlighted concerns that similar deaths could occur if action isn't taken.
East Cheshire NHS Trust has apologized and outlined steps to strengthen clinical education, thrombotic risk awareness, and patient record systems. The Care Quality Commission is reviewing the trust's response to the coroner's report.
