Jury to examine if student's meningitis B death was preventable

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 16:02 · Archive

A jury will examine whether an 18-year-old university student's death from meningitis B was preventable.

Megan Draper, from Pontypool, Torfaen, died from meningococcal type B meningitis in October after five weeks at Bournemouth University studying physiotherapy. At a pre-inquest review in Bournemouth, coroner Brendan Allen ruled that a jury must hear the inquest because Draper died of a notifiable disease. Under the law, when there is reason to suspect someone has died of a notifiable disease, the inquest must be heard with a jury.

The inquest will examine whether Draper's death was preventable. The scope will cover her contact with NHS 111, the triage carried out at Royal Bournemouth Hospital, her out-of-hours treatment, and her admission to Southmead Hospital in Bristol. The coroner has asked Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, which operates the NHS 111 service in the area, to provide a statement covering Draper's call and call-handling procedures.

Draper's mother Helen previously described her daughter as "sporty, gregarious, outgoing, really charismatic and chatty", saying she "had this zest for life that was compelling". Alongside the National Union of Students, her parents have called for a vaccine or booster to be made available to young adults on the NHS. The inquest is scheduled to begin on 19 July 2027.

Jury to examine if student's meningitis B death was preventable — Image: BBC Dorset

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How it is being reported

Inquest jury to examine if student's MenB death was preventableMegan Draper died from meningitis B in October while studying physiotherapy in Bournemouth.BBC Dorset · 19 Oct, 15:28
Jury to decide if Bournemouth University student’s meningitis death ‘was preventable’A jury is set to determine whether the death of a Bournemouth University student who contracted meningitis was preventable.Bournemouth Echo · 19 Oct, 11:19

In this story: Megan Draper · Bournemouth University · Pontypool · Torfaen · Brendan Allen · Royal Bournemouth Hospital · Southmead Hospital · Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust

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