Manager died when nurse who saw him collapse on call didn't ring 999

A hospital manager was 'left to die' when he collapsed on a video call to discuss his health with a nurse who responded by sending a Teams message rather than calling 999, an inquest has heard.

Nicholas Ginger had a series of health problems and, in November 2022, booked a video consultation via his employer's occupational health service to discuss returning to work from sick leave.

Mr Ginger and agency nurse Jackie Chatterton had joked about him 'popping his clogs' before he slid to one side after suffering a bleed on the brain.

The nurse has insisted that 'at the time there was absolutely nothing' to give her reason to call an ambulance. 

The delay in calling emergency services meant it was several hours before help arrived, leaving the 65-year-old father of three to 'suffer and die'.

Mr Ginger, a grandfather of five from Southampton, was found by his family later that day and died three days later.

In a family statement read to Winchester Coroner's Court by his daughter, Maria Burgess, it was claimed Ms Chatterton had admitted seeing her father 'slope off' while on the call.

Ms Burgess said rather than call 999 the nurse had then tried to send a Teams message about her patient but did not realise it had not sent for four hours. It is not clear who the alleged message was intended for.

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Questions are being raised by his family who say Miss Chatterton failed in her 'duty of care'.

Winchester Coroner's Court was told Mr Ginger worked as a manager at University Hospital Southampton.

Ms Burgess said: 'She [Chatterton] had a duty of care to Dad.

'That day she failed to execute it and left him to suffer and die.

'You say you attempted to send a Teams message before 11am and that you failed to notice it had not sent until gone 3pm.

'How were you able to get on with your day for more than four hours, having thought that you had witnessed a medical emergency without seeking an immediate response.

'Was he out of sight, out of mind? Did you carry on with appointments or take a tea break? Was he really that low on your priority list that you went about your day unfazed by the fact that you hadn't received a message.

'You wrote "I emphasised that I am really concerned about this employee". Well, clearly not that concerned that you got on with your day without seeking an urgent response.

'Do you agree that your lack of action prevented any chance of survival?

'You surely saw he had gone from fully upright and chatting normally, giving detailed answers, to someone that had slid over. Shame you weren't concerned enough to call an ambulance.'

She continued: 'You documented a dispute between yourself and your manager, Christine Lawrence, whereby neither of you would take ownership of the duty of care to call an ambulance.

'The pair of you wasted time arguing whilst he laid alone fighting for his life.

'Dad was robbed of the chance to enjoy his grandchildren as they grow up further. He was robbed of the chance of reaching retirement age and enjoying his free time.

'My (then) six year old will barely remember the kind, lovable man that we should still have here.'

Giving evidence, Miss Chatterton admitted that she should have called an ambulance after Mr Ginger suddenly disappeared from her screen.

The nurse said she was typing up her notes of their conversation when she realised her patient was no longer on the screen.

Mr Ginger had a history of heart trouble and high blood pressure and was worried about the possibility of being too ill to return to work.

Ms Chatterton said: 'He told me he loved his job and was looking forward to going back.

'He told me his blood clots had disappeared and he was becoming more mobile.

'I told him "I don't want you to pop your clogs, Nick" and he replied "I don't want me to pop my clogs either, Jackie". We both laughed.'

After Mr Ginger disappeared from view she asked him if he was capable of calling an ambulance or contacting his family if he needed to. He replied 'Yes, Jackie,' the inquest was told.

Miss Chatterton said: 'I thought he had moved away from the screen because he was upset.

'I hadn't seen or heard anything that made me think he was struggling physically. His responses did not give any indication that he had immediate concerns.

'I asked him if he was OK and he said he was.'

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The inquest heard Mr Ginger had told Miss Chatterton that his blood pressure reading that day was 215 over 129, which area coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp described as 'pretty much an emergency situation'.

Miss Chatterton admitted that the figure was 'critically high'.

The coroner said the nurse's theory surrounding Mr Ginger's sudden absence from her screen 'doesn't really stack up' and asked her if she should have called an ambulance.

She replied: 'With hindsight, yes.

'I feel devastated, but at the time there was absolutely nothing to give me reason to call an ambulance. We were talking, he called me by my name, and everything he said was in keeping. At no point did I think he had collapsed.'

The inquest also heard from Christine Lawrence, who was lead nurse in occupational therapy at the hospital at the time.

Ms Lawrence denied that she and Miss Chatterton had argued over who should call an ambulance.

She told the hearing: 'Jackie never actually said he had collapsed. There was no discussion about me calling an ambulance.'

Ms Lawrence only learned that Mr Ginger had died when she called his mobile phone and the call was answered by his daughter. 'I was completely shocked because I wasn't expecting that at all,' she said.

The inquest continues.