A Fife couple have vowed to fight “until their last breath” for answers over the tragic death of their daughter from sepsis.
Jessica Herd, a pupil support assistant, had suffered from complex regional pain syndrome since she was a teenager.
In July 2020, she collapsed at her home and was rushed to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.
Her condition deteriorated and she was transferred to the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, where doctors told the family she had a “50/50 chance of survival”.
Just days later she died, aged 26.
Sepsis protocol not followed for Jessica Herd
Medical notes seen by parents Scott and Christine Herd, from Colinsburgh, show Jessica was to be treated for sepsis.
A later review of her death confirmed NHS Fife staff failed to carry out vital medical care.
The sepsis six protocol – a set of procedures that should be undertaken within the first hour of the condition being suspected – was not followed.
However, the review concluded this had no impact on the tragic outcome.
Scott told The Courier nobody had ever been held “fully accountable” for the protocol not being carried out.
He said: “It’s sickening to be told by the medical director that the sepsis protocol should have been carried out but the failure to do so had no impact on Jessica’s death.
“How can they possibly know that?
“There were severe failings in that they ignored the protocols that they themselves put in place.”
Fife family did ‘everything legally possible’ to force fatal accident inquiry
An NHS Fife spokesperson said: “We would like to extend our most sincere condolences to the family of Ms Herd on the loss of their loved one.
“We are very limited in our ability to comment publicly on the care of any individual patient for reasons of confidentiality.
“A complaint into Ms Herd’s care was previously escalated to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO), which reviewed the case and found the care provided was appropriate.
“It also noted that the significant adverse events review (SAER) carried out had been thorough.”
Scott now says he’s done “everything legally possible” in the family’s bid for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI), which was refused on appeal.
“The Crown Council rejected it so we were effectively hamstrung,” he said.
“It’s now going to take public pressure to persuade the Lord Advocate to make an inquiry happen.”
A spokesperson for the Crown Office said: “The family have been provided with detailed reasons for this decision.”
Call for independent body to address ‘silent killer’
Scott hopes that highlighting his daughter’s death will bolster calls for an independent body to be set up to investigate complaints.
“There has to be something which operates truly outwith and independently of the health service similar to the PIRC – Police Investigation and Review Commissioner – does,” he said.
“Our daughter was failed by the NHS and, as a parent, it’s the worst thing in the world.
“I’ll fight until my last breath for answers for Jessica.
“Sepsis is the silent killer, and if it can happen to Jessica it can happen to someone else tomorrow, next week, or next month.
“We don’t want another family to suffer.”
Conversation