Inquest set to reopen after young Chesterfield mother found dead just hours after leaving Chesterfield Royal Hospital

Tanya McCartney went to seek medical help at Chesterfield Royal Hospital in May 2023, after experiencing a number of symptoms including a high temperature, shortness of breath and a painful throat.

Doctors assessed the 25-year-old mother and discharged her with antibiotics later the same day.

But Tanya passed away less than 24 hours after she was sent home – leaving her 11-month-old son Marcus without a mother and her family ‘absolutely broken’.

Natasha, Tanya’s mum, said: “I am so angry that I have lost my daughter and that Marcus won’t ever know his mum and the lovely, funny, stubborn person she was.

"She is missed more than I can ever describe. While Marcus gives us the reason to carry on, it’s so difficult just to put one foot in front of the other every day.”

Tanya began to feel unwell in early May 2023, but believed it was a cold she had caught from Marcus.

She decided to visit her GP on May 18, and was advised to go to Chesterfield Royal Hospital. She was driven there by her grandmother.

Natasha said: “They were there for hours and when they came home, Tanya said it had been a waste of time as she still had no idea what was wrong.

“She went to bed, and was asleep when I went out to work the next morning. I didn’t want to disturb her as I hoped she would wake up feeling much better – but only a few hours later, I got a phone call from my dad saying she had passed away.

“Martin (Tanya’s brother) rang me saying the Air Ambulance had been seen near our house and wondered which of our neighbours it was for – I had to tell him it was in fact for his sister.

"We were all just absolutely broken and in disbelief. How could this have happened?”

Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has apologised for Tanya’s death and initially said discharging her had been ‘appropriate’.

But her mother and brother pushed for more answers, suspecting some parts of the story were missing.

Natasha said: “There was something in one of the statements which really rang alarm bells – it said that Tanya had been fine and drinking from a water fountain.

"Tanya would never drink water. Even if you’d given her some paracetamol tablets with a glass of water, she wouldn’t take them until you’d put some cordial in. So something just didn’t sit right.”

The family turned to Slater and Gordon Solicitors and further investigations were carried out – resulting in the hospital trust recognising that that if Tanya had been admitted to hospital to receive antibiotics intravenously she ‘would have, in all probability, made a recovery’.

In light of the revised findings from the hospital’s investigation, it has been decided that the inquest into Tanya’s death should be re-opened.

The date of the hearing has not been decided yet with delays ‘due to the Coroner still waiting for documents from the NHS Trust’.

Natasha said: “Tanya has been failed in so many ways. This has broken my heart, and it kills me that they have admitted if only my daughter was given the care she deserved, she would still be alive.

“Until we’ve had the inquest and I’ve found out exactly what happened to Tanya, I can’t move on. None of us can. You can’t grieve properly until you know everything.

“Every time something else comes up, it’s like old wounds are being re-opened and the grief starts all over again.”

Tanya, 25, was described as a “real tomboy”, achieved her ambition of training as a mechanic, but unfortunately could not find a job.

Instead, she found a role as a carer for mental health patients, and hoped to train as a mental health nurse.

Natasha said: “While she did hope to be a mechanic, she was a brilliant carer, everyone loved her.

"She was so fun loving with a wicked sense of humour, just a lovely person."

Tanya was described as a ‘fantastic’ mother to Marcus who ‘really thrived’ in her role as a parent.

Natasha added: “Marcus was a surprise and Tanya worried so much about not being able to look after him or not being able to be a good mum - but everything clicked the second he was born.

"She was absolutely brilliant. Marcus really was the most amazing thing to happen to her.”

Commenting on the inquest re-opening, Kevin Sargen, Medical Director at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “We send our sincere condolences to Ms McCartney’s family and loved ones.

"We acknowledge that the care she received was not the standard that we strive for. Given the reopening of the inquest, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further, but we are continuing to work with HM Coroner to support their ongoing investigations into Ms McCartney’s death.”