By Summer Raemason

Copyright thesun

A MUM tragically died of a blood clot on her brain three days after paramedics dismissed her symptoms as an ear infection.

Natasha Hewitt was forced to say goodbye to her 16-month-old son just a week before Christmas after 111 call-handlers failed to rush her for urgent treatment.

She first started complaining of back pain on December 8, 2022.

The sensation spread up to her head and doctors prescribed antibiotics for what they believed was an ear infection on December 14.

Despite her discomfort, Natasha and husband Nick managed to go Christmas shopping and bought their son’s first pair of shoes.

The couple had gone through 11 miscarriages and two failed rounds of IVF before welcoming Harry.

But Natasha had a history of blood clots which saw their rainbow baby delivered 14 weeks premature due to one in the placenta.

And, the mum-of-one was hospitalised for a lung clot in a separate health scare.

Nevertheless, the 35-year-old was fobbed off my health professionals when she phoned the NHS helpline.

She told them her migraine symptoms had failed to cease and she was vomiting.

Natasha felt like “someone had hit her with a brick” and was experiencing dizziness, but told to book a GP appointment.

The Sheffield mum should have been urgently referred to hospital within an hour.

‘MISSED OPPORTUNITY’

Natasha did as she was told and went to her doctor, only to be prescribed more meds.

However, within 24 hours her husband Nick was forced to call 999 and saw her taken to A&E.

She was diagnosed with a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, a large blood clot on the brain.

Natasha was transferred to a specialist unit for surgery on but died two days later at around 1am on December 18.

The mum tragically left behind partner Nick, 44, and 16-month-old son Harry.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service, which ran the 111 helpline, has now admitted a breach of duty in Natasha’s care.

The service said if her condition had been diagnosed and successfully treated, on the balance of probabilities she would have survived.

An inquest also ruled there was a “missed opportunity” to refer Natasha to hospital earlier.

The coroner concluded this neglect had contributed to her death.

‘IT BREAKS MY HEART’

Heartbroken Nick said: “Natasha was the most loving and devoted wife I could have ever hoped for. She was warm, funny, and incredibly bright.

“More than anything, she was my closest friend.

“We’d been through some tough times, but when Harry was born and home it felt like a new chapter in our lives.

“We’d do everything as the three of us and life seemed perfect.

“Watching her suffer during those final days was awful. I could see her condition getting worse but felt powerless to help.

“We had no reason not to believe what Natasha had been told when she called 111. However, by the next day I knew I had to call 999.

“I can’t thank the doctors and everyone else at hospital for everything they did to try and help Natasha but by that point it was too late.

“Losing Natasha is something I’ll carry with me forever. We had so many plans and dreams for our future which have been left shattered.

“What’s most painful is knowing that Harry has lost his wonderful mum.

“I tell him about her and how proud she would be of him, but it breaks my heart that Harry can’t get to feel Natasha’s love first-hand.

“Natasha didn’t deserve to go through what she did. I just hope that by sharing her story other families don’t experience what we have.”

‘AVOIDABLE DEATH’

Rosie Charlton, the medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Nick said: “This is a truly tragic case.

“Nick and the rest of Natasha’s family are traumatised by her avoidable death and the circumstances surrounding it.

“Worrying issues have been admitted regarding Natasha’s 111 call and they vividly highlight the importance of patients being fully listened to so the best decisions are made regarding care.

“As we work with the Ambulance Service towards a settlement which will secure the future of Natasha and Nick’s son we urge it to learn lessons from Natasha’s death so others don’t have to endure what they have.”

Peter Reading, the chief executive at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts remain with Natasha Hewitt’s family following her death in December 2022.

“On behalf of the Trust, I would like to reiterate our sincere and unreserved apologies for the NHS 111 service failing to meet the high standard of care that all of our patients are entitled to expect.

“The incident was fully investigated and learning from this has been used to make improvements to the care and services we provide.”