University graduate, Clarissa Street was rushed to A&E with bouts of dizziness and feeling unwell – she was put in a corridor and given an oxygen mask that was ‘not connected to anything’
A ‘talented’ and ‘outgoing’ woman tragically died after spending over an hour in a hospital corridor while suffering from a pulmonary embolism, an inquest has heard. Clarissa Street, fondly remembered by her family as a popular, creative and outgoing individual who loved socialising and attending concerts, sadly passed away in 2024.
The inquest into her death, set to last three days, was told on Wednesday (May 6) that Clarissa died on August 14, 2024. Clarissa, a University of Manchester graduate who studied Sociology and received the Dean’s Award for her dissertation, was rushed to A&E at at Royal Oldham Hospital late on August 13 after experiencing bouts of dizziness and feeling unwell.
She had previously suffered a provoked pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis in 2017 and had been on blood thinners intermittently between then and 2024, the inquest was told, reports the Manchester Evening News.
However, upon arrival at Royal Oldham Hospital, Clarissa was given an oxygen mask that wasn’t connected to anything ‘to try and regulate her breathing’ and spent approximately an hour in a corridor before being moved to higher care, the inquest heard.
Evidence presented at the inquest revealed that a paramedic had suggested that they thought Clarissa was ‘overreacting and having a panic attack’ when she was handed over to triage staff.
However, her health rapidly declined and she tragically passed away a few hours later due to a pulmonary embolism, compounded by fatty liver disease, the inquest was informed.
Clarissa, from Castleton, Rochdale, had been feeling unwell for two days prior to her boyfriend calling an ambulance on 13 August when she began fainting, the inquest heard. She had been struggling with sleep and keeping food and water down in the days leading up to her hospital admission.
Upon arrival at the hospital, Clarissa was given an oxygen mask that wasn’t connected to anything in an attempt to ‘regulate her breathing’ and was left in a corridor.
Staff Nurse Michelle Neale, the triage nurse on duty the night of Clarissa’s death, requested an ECG, blood tests and venous blood gas tests for her. She stated that the ambulance crew had informed her that Clarissa was hyperventilating, but they had managed to regulate her breathing through conversation.
She admitted she ‘didn’t know’ why she provided Clarissa with a disconnected mask and accepted it was a mistake – however, she claimed it ‘did regulate her breathing’ and that Clarissa was ‘speaking in full sentences’.
Ms Neale then handed over Clarissa’s care to a more senior nurse, advising that she would need a cubicle. However, Clarissa, who had low blood oxygen levels and an elevated heart rate, was subsequently left in a corridor for approximately an hour.
She added that the senior nurse had told her that Clarissa was ‘young so we’ll just keep an eye on her’ when she was put on fluids and left in the corridor.
Ms Neale stated: “Normally I would challenge it but Clarissa was talking to me. She could speak to me in full sentences.
“I remember her coming in. She was able to talk to me and she told me that she had been on holiday to the Canary Islands. I went back to Clarissa on the corridor and I asked her had [the oxygen mask] helped her and she said yes.”
She further mentioned a more senior nurse said they would give Clarissa some fluids and then reassess her with the intention of sending her to an urgent treatment centre.
However, Clarissa was eventually taken to higher care to be treated by a doctor before deteriorating and tragically passing away in the early hours of August 14.
The inquest heard how, based on national guidelines, there was no need for her to be referred to haematology in 2017 at the time of her pulmonary embolism and no need for anticoagulants drugs to be used long term due to her embolism being provoked.
It was accepted that in hindsight a haematology referral and further tests might have helped Clarissa and may have revealed an underlying contributing factor. However, the inquest heard her embolism in 2024 was unprovoked and it ‘cannot be said that the two are linked’.
The inquest began on Wednesday, May 6, at Rochdale Coroner’s Court and is scheduled to last for three days, concluding on Friday, May 8.