Teenager dies after doctors misdiagnose meningitis as ‘annoying’ virus

• Mia Ginever, 19, died at Frimley Park Hospital, Camberley, Surrey, in March 2022

A talented teenage artist died when doctors misdiagnosed her with meningitis and an “annoying” virus.

Mia Ginever, 19, died at Frimley Park Hospital in Camberley, Surrey, when doctors delayed administering life-saving antibiotics due to “conscious bias” over her initial diagnosis.

The terrified straight-A student heartbreakingly begged her mum Mel, 47, not to ‘let me die’ when she was rushed to hospital with shooting pain in her head and red spots on his skin which did not fade. She later developed a stiff neck and became delirious.

Doctors and nurses rushed around “beautiful and vibrant” Mia as she deteriorated before a helpless Mel watched, but it would be five hours before doctors could finally assess her.

The clerk refused to take blood tests or give him antibiotics and instead gave him a “sticky bandage” containing fluids and painkillers.

A new doctor on duty eventually ordered blood tests which revealed she had meningitis B and eventually gave her antibiotics – eight hours after she arrived at the hospital.

WHAT IS MENINGITIS?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.

Anyone can be affected, but those at risk include those aged under five, 15 to 24 and over 45.

People exposed to passive smoking or with weakened immune systems, such as patients undergoing chemotherapy, are also at greater risk.

The most common forms of meningitis are bacterial and viral.

Symptoms for both include:

• Pale, blotchy skin with a rash that does not fade when compressed with a glass
• Stiff neck
• Don’t like bright lights
• Fever and cold hands and feet
• Vomiting
• Drowsiness
• Severe headaches

Bacterial meningitis

Bacterial meningitis requires urgent treatment in hospital with antibiotics.

About 10 percent of bacterial cases are fatal.

Of those who survive, one in three suffers complications, including brain damage and hearing loss.

Limb amputation is a potential side effect of sepsis (blood poisoning).

Vaccines are available against certain strains of bacteria that cause meningitis, such as tuberculosis.

Viral meningitis

Viruses are rarely life-threatening, but can cause long-term effects, such as headaches, fatigue and memory problems.

Thousands of people suffer from viral meningitis in the UK each year.

Treatment focuses on hydration, painkillers and rest.

Although ineffective, antibiotics can be administered when patients arrive at the hospital, in case they are suffering from the bacterial form of the disease.

Source: Meningitis Now

By now it was too late and Mia was placed in an induced coma and died two days later in intensive care. A few months earlier, she had told her parents that she wanted to become an organ donor.

A week earlier, in March 2022, the talented student was planning to go on a trip and applying for internships this summer with dreams of becoming an interior designer.

When a sore throat, body aches and headache worsened during the week, she went to the Frimley emergency room to get checked out.

Doctors told her she had an “annoying” virus and could go home, but Mia’s pain got worse and she returned to the hospital with Mel when she noticed the spots red on his body did not fade.

“Mia’s future was completely taken away through no fault of hers. She had so much to give the world and was ready to embrace her life,” Mel told the Times.

She added: “We trusted the doctors to make the right decisions. If I wanted her to die, I would have screamed.

An inquest into his death will begin today at Surrey Coroner’s Court in Woking and is expected to conclude on Friday.

Frimley Park Hospital admitted doctors failed to properly assess Mia for meningitis and sepsis, and failed to follow NHS protocol of administering antibiotics within an hour of arrival in the hospital for the second time.

Mia’s father Phil, 60, was shocked by the state of affairs when he arrived at hospital.

He described the care given to his beloved daughter as “so poor” and said the pain caused by Mia’s death would never go away.

“After he died, they let us take his handprints and his hair, as if he were a newborn. But then she was all alone. I should have stayed and waited,” he said.

The hospital carried out a serious incident review which revealed Mia had already developed meningococcal sepsis by the time she arrived at Frimley Hospital for the second time.

The study found that “conscious bias” linked to the first diagnosis of a viral infection influenced decisions made by doctors.

Since Mia’s death, the Ginevers have raised £70,000 for the Meningitis Research Foundation and her parents have raised awareness of the meningitis B vaccine.

Mel said doctors told him “this was one of the most serious and fastest cases they had ever seen.”

Writing on LinkedIn, six months after Mia’s death, Mel posted a heartfelt tribute to her daughter.

She said: “Mia had a sharp mind, life and soul, but she was also a ‘house bird’ and always lived at home. We desperately miss her beautiful smile and infectious laugh every day.

Deborah Nadel, legal director at Fieldfisher, is representing the family during the investigation and in connection with an ongoing negligence claim.

She said: “The pain felt by Mia’s family at learning that her death could have been avoided with prompt treatment is unimaginable.

“Hospitals need to improve the way they learn from their mistakes and the family hopes the coroner’s inquest will highlight this.”

Mia’s organs helped save the lives of four people and Mel described them as “lucky… to have a part of our precious daughter giving them a second hope”.

MailOnline has contacted Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust for comment.