The parents of a Nottinghamshire nurse are 'hoping to get the answers' they long for as they heard more evidence surrounding their daughter's death at a pre-inquest hearing. Carrianne Franks, a sergeant nurse in the RAF, died on August 27 last year - 24 hours after she was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
The 30-year-old nurse had been taken to Lincoln Hospital with an unknown illness. She was released from the hospital and, three days later, she was taken to the Bassetlaw Hospital in Worksop.
Further evidence surrounding her death was given at Nottingham Council House on Friday, March 10. Nottingham Coroners' Court was told that another patient at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital - where Ms Franks was also working - had been diagnosed with the disease.
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Holding the pre-inquest review, Coroner Laurinda Bower told the hearing that the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital "do not believe there was any close contact" between Ms Franks and the patient in question. However, the coroner added: "It is a huge coincidence."
Carrianne's mum Bev Franks, who also attended the hearing on Friday (March 10), said: "But realistically, there does not seem to be any opportunity." The coroner said that this is a question that they will be asking during the inquest.
There were no other deaths recorded from the people who were identified to have the same strain, Ms Bower told the hearing. There is also no evidence that the RAF was informed about the strain.
Mum Bev added: "It was a nightmare for the other girls she worked with. They did not find out about it [Carrianne's tuberculosis diagnosis] until February, March. Luckily, nobody else has contracted TB."
A pre-inquest review is an administrative hearing typically held where an inquest is complex or involves a number of relevant people. The coroner will typically make arrangements for the full inquest.
After the hearing on Friday, Bev told Nottinghamshire Live: "We are just hoping to get the answers." Both of Carrianne’s parents attended, Bev and Chris, along with her siblings.
A number of witnesses and representatives have also attended, including Manai Lall for the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospital, Marianna Kutyreva for Chelsea and Westminster, Andrew Lawson for the Ministry of Defence, and Vanessa McGrager for the United Healthcare Agency. A representative from the healthcare regulator, the Care Quality Commission, was also in attendance for observation purposes.
The inquest is expected to start on May 15, and will include a jury of 11 members of the public. The inquest is expected to take five days.
What is TB?
According to the NHS, Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection spread through inhaling tiny droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person. It mainly affects the lungs, but it can affect any part of the body, including the tummy (abdomen), glands, bones and nervous system.
TB is a potentially serious condition, but it can be cured if it's treated with the right antibiotics.
Symptoms of TB
- a persistent cough that lasts more than 3 weeks and usually brings up phlegm, which may be bloody
- weight loss
- night sweats
- high temperature
- tiredness and fatigue
- loss of appetite
- swellings in the neck
NHS advises that you should see a GP if you have a cough that lasts more than 3 weeks or you cough up blood.
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