Unclear whether delays in student’s sepsis care at London hospital led to death, coroner rules

William Hewes, 22, died at Homerton hospital, where his mother was a consultant, after delays in giving antibiotics

It is unclear whether mistakes and delays in the treatment of a student who died from sepsis at a hospital where his mother was a consultant contributed to his death, a coroner has ruled.

The death of William Hewes, 22, on 21 January 2023 also raises similar issues to the death of 13-year-old Martha Mills in 2021, the coroner, Mary Hassell, said. Martha’s death led to the adoption of Martha’s rule which gives families the right to a second opinion on medical treatment.