London Medical Negligence Lawyers Join Widow In Calling For Lessons To Be Learned

A widow has issued a meningitis warning after her husband died following a delay in diagnosing and treating the life-threatening condition. 

Reece Darcheville, aged 31, developed the condition and pus on his brain as a result of the sinus infection sinusitis, for which a GP had prescribed antibiotics. 

Nine days after his symptoms - including vomiting, a headache, and pain around his left eye – had started and five days after being prescribed antibiotics, Reece attended A&E at Homerton Hospital in Hackney.

Premier League scout Reece Darcheville sent home from hospital

Following an assessment, the youth football coach who scouted for Premier League clubs including Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, was sent home without a brain scan. The PE teacher at Daubeney Primary School, was told to complete his antibiotics. 

The dad-of-two’s symptoms continued to persist. Four days after he was sent home from hospital, Reece’s wife and childhood sweetheart, Shenna, called an ambulance.

Reece was taken back to Homerton Hospital. A brain scan showed fluid on the brain and signs of suspected meningitis. He was transferred for emergency surgery. 

However, Reece, of Stoke Newington, Hackney, had suffered severe brain damage. His condition continued to deteriorate, and he sadly died nine days later.

Shenna asks medical negligence lawyers to investigate Reece's meningitis care

Following Reece’s death, Shenna, instructed expert medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate her husband’s care and establish answers. 

Following legal submissions by Irwin Mitchell, Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, admitted liability and has agreed an undisclosed settlement.

Shenna and her legal team are now calling for lessons to be learned. 

Emma-Jayne Rudland is the specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Shenna.

Expert Opinion

“Reece’s family remain devastated by his death and the circumstances surrounding it.

“We believe the Hospital Trust failed to recognise the significance of Reece’s symptoms during his first visit. If it had, then Reece would have been referred for a brain scan which would have showed a build-up of pus and he would have received the treatment he required to make a full recovery.

“Instead, the care failings that Reece experienced ended in the most devastating way and will continue to affect his family for the rest of their lives.

“While meningitis is a rare complication of sinusitis it’s a well-known complication. Therefore, it’s vital that lessons are learned from this case to improve patient safety. Early detection and treatment is key to beating meningitis.” Emma-Jayne Rudland

Medical negligence: Reece's story

Reece, who co-founded Islington’s AC United youth football team, began vomiting and complaining of a headache on 16 September, 2017. 

After developing pain and pressure around his eyes and struggling to sleep, a GP prescribed antibiotics on 21 September. 

On 25 September, he attended Homerton Hospital where he was examined but was sent home to finish the course of antibiotics.

On 28 September Reece and Shenna attended a further GP appointment concerned about his symptoms. Shenna said the GP was concerned that the severity of his symptoms was unusual for sinusitis. Reece was prescribed different antibiotics and anti-sickness tablets. Reece was advised he would need a brain scan if his condition didn’t improve. 

Shenna called an ambulance the following morning after Reece became incoherent and confused. He was taken to Homerton Hospital before being transferred to intensive care at another hospital. He was put on a ventilator and transferred for surgery later that day. Following surgery, a CT scan showed significant swelling and an MRI on 2 October showed brain damage which he was very unlikely to recover from. 

Reece died on 8 October 2017. 

A serious incident investigation report by the Hospital Trust found there was a “possible missed opportunity to appreciate the severity” of Reece’s symptoms and consider further investigation when he attended hospital on 25 September, 2017. 

It added that Reece’s meningitis and pus on the brain wasn’t recognised “until late in the course of the illness”. 

Reece received “suboptimal care” and “different management” of his condition may have avoided his death. 

Reece's loved ones pay tribute to loving dad as they issue meningitis warning 

Shenna, who had two sons with Reece, Shay and Rayne, now aged 16 and 13, said: “Even after all these years it’s almost impossible to try and begin to describe the profound effect that losing Reece has had on our lives. 

“I met Reece on my 16th birthday and we hit it off straight away. I knew as soon as I met him that he was a kind, loving and generous person. 

“In all the time I knew Reece I had never seen him sick, so when he started with his symptoms I knew it was totally out of character. He tried to carry on and go to work but he was too poorly. He even had to miss football training which he never did. 

“To see him suffer in those final weeks was awful. During the time that Reece was in the hospital the word meningitis was never mentioned, I was told that the sinus infection had spread to his brain and due to the swelling he was in critical condition and may not wake up from the coma. 

“The first time I heard anything about meningitis was when I saw it as the cause of death on his death certificate. 

“Reece was an amazing dad and mentor for many and nothing was ever too much trouble for him. He went out of his way to try and help others and provide them with the best chance in life. It’s difficult not to think that when he needed help the most he was let down. 

“Following Reece’s death we donated his organs so he could continue to provide opportunities for others in life. He was one of the world’s good guys and didn’t deserve what happened to him. 

“All I can hope for now is that I can help raise awareness of the signs of meningitis and that improvements in care are made to help others.”

Find out more about our expertise in supporting patients and families affected by meningitis at our dedicated meningitis claims section. Alternatively, to speak to an expert contact us or call 0370 1500 100.

More information about meningitis and its signs can be found on the website of the charity Meningitis Now.