Doctors sent dad Reece Darcheville home with 'sinusitis' - he died days later

Reece Darcheville died in 2017 after doctors missed the symptoms of meningitis and failed to carry out a brain scan before sending him home

A devastated widow has spoken out after her husband, a young Premier League scout, died from meningitis when doctors overlooked his symptoms. Reece Darcheville, a father of two, passed away in 2017 following medical oversights that failed to identify the severity of his condition, leading to his untimely death without a crucial brain scan.

The 31-year-old from Hackney, East London, was sent home by medics but had to be rushed back for emergency surgery just four days later; he suffered extensive brain damage and died nine days after. His wife, Shenna Darcheville, who had been with him since childhood, sought legal advice to look into the care he received.

The family has now received an undisclosed settlement from Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which acknowledged its 'suboptimal' treatment of Mr Darcheville. Mrs Darcheville expressed her sense of betrayal by the healthcare system and is determined to raise awareness about the early indicators of meningitis—a rare yet serious complication of untreated sinusitis.

She aims to advocate for better healthcare practices to prevent such heartbreaking losses in the future. "Even after all these years, it's almost impossible to try and begin to describe the profound effect that losing Reece has had on our lives," said the mother-of-two.

"In all the time I knew Reece I had never seen him sick, so when he started with his symptoms I knew it was totally out of character. He tried to carry on and go to work but he was too poorly. He even had to miss football training, which he never did. It's difficult not to think that when he needed help the most he was let down."

In mid-September 2017, Mr Darcheville began experiencing severe symptoms including vomiting and headaches. Despite his worsening condition, a GP prescribed antibiotics for what they believed to be sinusitis.

Despite his deteriorating health, Mr Darcheville, a youth football coach and PE teacher who scouted for Premier League clubs like Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, was sent home without a brain scan from Homerton Hospital in Hackney. His symptoms persisted, and during a subsequent GP visit, the severity of his condition raised concerns.

However, Mr Darcheville, co-founder of Islington's AC United youth football team, was given different antibiotics and anti-sickness tablets and sent home again. He was told he would need a brain scan if his condition didn't improve.

The following morning, his wife called an ambulance after he became incoherent and confused. He was rushed to Homerton Hospital before being transferred to intensive care at another hospital.

Mr Darcheville was then placed on a ventilator and transferred for surgery later that day. Following surgery, a CT scan showed significant swelling and an MRI on October 2 showed brain damage he was very unlikely to recover from.

Mr Darcheville, who is survived by sons Shay, 16, and Rayne, 13, died six days later, on October 8. A serious incident investigation report by Homerton Hospital Trust later judged there was a possible 'missed opportunity' to appreciate the severity of his symptoms and consider further investigation when he first attended hospital on September 25.

It admitted that Mr Darcheville's meningitis and pus on the brain weren't recognised until 'late in the course of the illness'. The report concluded that he'd received 'suboptimal care' and that different management of his condition could have saved his life.

Emma-Jayne Rudland, a specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Mr Darcheville's family, echoed their plea for lessons to be learned from the tragic and avoidable death. "Reece's family remain devastated by his death and the circumstances surrounding it," she said.

"We believe the hospital trust failed to recognise the significance of Reece's symptoms during his first visit. If it had, then Reece would have been referred for a brain scan which would have shown a build-up of pus and he would have received the treatment he required to make a full recovery. Instead, the care failings that Reece experienced ended in the most devastating way and will continue to affect his family for the rest of their lives.

"While meningitis is a rare complication of sinusitis, it's a well-known complication. Therefore, it's vital that lessons are learned from this case to improve patient safety. Early detection and treatment is key to beating meningitis."

Mrs Darcheville described her late husband as an 'amazing dad' and a 'mentor for many'. "I met Reece on my 16th birthday and we hit it off straight away," she said. "I knew as soon as I met him that he was a kind, loving and generous person. To see him suffer in those final weeks was awful.

"During the time that Reece was in the hospital the word 'meningitis' was never mentioned, I was told that the sinus infection had spread to his brain and due to the swelling he was in critical condition and may not wake up from the coma. The first time I heard anything about meningitis was when I saw it as the cause of death on his death certificate.

"Reece was an amazing dad and mentor for many and nothing was ever too much trouble for him. He went out of his way to try and help others and provide them with the best chance in life.

"Following Reece's death we donated his organs so he could continue to provide opportunities for others in life. He was one of the world's good guys and didn't deserve what happened to him. All I can hope for now is that I can help raise awareness of the signs of meningitis and that improvements in care are made to help others."