Leeds DJ died after suffering from meningitis: Coroner issues prevention of future deaths report

Senior West Yorkshire Coroner Kevin McLoughlin has sent the report to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the Secretary of State for Health following an inquest in Wakefield earlier this month into the death of Alex Theodossiadis.

Mr Theodossiadis had been unwell for days before he was taken to Leeds General Infirmary by taxi and then transferred to the city’s St James’s Hospital in January 2020.

He died after he was seen to fall and bang his head on the floor at the second hospital, although the inquest in Wakefield heard that he was already likely to succumb to meningitis.

The causes of his death on January 28 2020 were listed as sepsis, meningitis and a subdural haemorrhage.

Mr Theodossiadis had complained of feeling as though he had flu, later developing severe headaches, and registered with a local GP on January 16.

The inquest heard that four days later he called the practice to make an appointment and was offered one for three weeks’ time, but did not mention any symptoms, nor was he asked for any, during the phone call.

Mr McLoughlin wrote in the report: "Evidence was taken at the inquest which indicated Mr Theodossiadis was moved from one hospital within the Trust to another, close to midnight on 25 January 2020.

"Despite being severely unwell with bacterial meningitis and in a confused state he was not accompanied by a nurse escort, nor was any written handover instruction or briefing note provided for the nurses receiving him, in breach of the prevailing Trust handover guidance.

"Mr Theodossiadis remained in A&E for some 10 hours in total, despite the nature of his condition.

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"Concern was expressed at the inquest in relation to firstly, the absence of clear instructions regarding the need for a lumbar puncture within four hours of admission; secondly, a clear pathway to an appropriate treatment location; thirdly, any directions specifying the timetable in which action was required in response to a life-threateninq condition.

"The Inquest heard evidence that practice differs nationally on the need for a lumbar puncture in cases of meningitis.

"The absence of clear leadership on this issue nationally does not assist clinicians who may encounter this relatively rare, but serious condition.

"Despite spending 1O hours in A&E and displaying increasing signs of confusion he was seen to be trying to get off his hospital bed which created a risk of falls, no assessment of the falls risk was carried out.

"In consequence, the receiving ward J27 at St James's University Hospital, Leeds were not forewarned of the risk of falls.

"He fell from his hospital bed within approximately 10 minutes of being placed in a side room on his own."

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At the end of the inquest Mr McLoughlin urged GPs’ receptionists to be aware of the symptoms of meningitis when speaking to patients on the phone.

Before giving a lengthy narrative conclusion, the coroner said he will write to the Royal College of General Practitioners with advice for receptionists on being meningitis-aware.

Mr Theodossiadis, as Alex T, was developing a growing reputation as a DJ in the UK and across Europe and also worked at Tribe Records in Leeds.

The Theodossiadis family are fundraising for Meningitis Now in their son’s memory.

More details can be found at at alex-theodossiadis.muchloved.com/

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