Gavin Irwin successfully represents Emergency Medicine Registrar at the Inquest of a 33 year old woman who died from a rare form of infection

Gavin Irwin represented an Emergency Medicine Registrar at an Inquest before the Senior Coroner for the Black Country. The deceased presented at the A&E Department of Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley with a sore ankle and, sadly, died as a result of necrotising fasciitis less than 48 hours later.

This rare condition spreads rapidly, for reasons that are not well understood, after ‘Strep A’, with or without other commonly occurring bacteria, infects the connective tissue under the skin. Toxic Shock Syndrome often follows and outcomes for patients may be measured in hours.  Surgical debridement and amputations are commonplace as the body’s soft tissue dies.

With Gavin’s assistance, Rachel Cooper and Natasha Ricioppo of CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP instructed, Dr Alastair Miller, a leading expert in infectious diseases and, despite criticism of the deceased’s treatment in A&E, the cause of death was recorded as ‘multiple organ failure’, without any ‘neglect’ rider.

To read about the case in more detail, please follow the links below:

• BBC
• Express & Star