Failures by medics contibuted to Bath University student's death, coronor says

A coroner has ruled a Bath Uni student died following a “gross failure” of care given to him by medics after he was found unconscious at a bus stop on a night out.

Alex Green, 22, was discovered unconscious and alone at a bus stop in Bath by passersby in the early hours of 30 September 2017.

Photo of Alex Green via police handout

He had suffered a serious head injury, however, this went unnoticed by the medical staff who treated him, Mr Green’s inquest was told.

The economics student, who had been out celebrating his birthday, was taken to Bath's Royal United Hospital but died three days later on 3 October.

An inquest into Mr Green’s death heard how the paramedics and hospital staff did not immediately identify him as having a head injury. Instead, he was simply treated as an intoxicated patient.

Senior coroner Maria Voisi has listed "a number of failures" and concluded that Mr Green died due to "accident contributed to by neglect", Somerset Live reports. 

Ms Voisi listed the following six failures in her conclusion:

1. Once Alex arrived at the hospital there was an assumption that the reason for his reduced consciousness level was due to alcohol intoxication with no corroborated evidence to support this.

2. He had a reduced GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale score) for three hours without being seen by a doctor.

3. Alex should have been managed as per the hospital's falls policy.

4. Alex should have been seen and examined by a doctor before his transfer to the observations unit.

5. His GCS was never normal but wasn't acted upon

6. There was also a gross failure to provide a basic medical examination which Alex obviously needed.

In a statement she said: "I consider that the gross failure of the inadequate examination which failed to identify palpable swelling to the rear of his head which would have been evident at this time.

"There was an assumption that the cause of the reduced consciousness level was intoxication which was incorrect and not based on any evidence.

"These gross failures has caused or significantly contributed to Alex's death."