The death of a teenager 'let down' by health professionals has prompted a coroner to call for action to address a national shortage of blood doctors. Katie Wilkins, 14, died from a catastrophic bleed on the brain at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool five days after being diagnosed with leukaemia in July 2020.
An inquest into her death found failures in her treatment by two hospitals amounted to neglect and contributed to her death. The court heard doctors at Warrington Hospital could have diagnosed Katie - who dreamt of becoming a paramedic - with leukaemia earlier.
And she had suffered a catastrophic bleed on the brain but was under the care of an oncologist, not a haematologist. Coroner Katie Ainge heard bosses were unable to hire the right staff due to national recruitment problems.
