NHS hospital too slow to treat doctor’s son who died of sepsis, coroner rules

William Hewes, left, with his mother, Dr Deborah Burns. Burns said she had been unable to work at the hospital since her son’s death. Photograph: Handout

A hospital failed to treat the son of one of its consultants with antibiotics and fluids with the required urgency hours before he died of sepsis, a coroner has ruled.

It was unclear whether mistakes and delays in the treatment of William Hewes, 22, on 21 January contributed to his death, the coroner, Mary Hassell, said.