Mum of 13-year-old Tanisha Baverstock had chance to say goodbye 'taken away', inquest hears

Tanisha Baverstock died from lymphoma on January 31 last year, aged just 13.

Her mother, Kelly, told Wiltshire and Swindon coroner's court in Salisbury that her daughter had been suffering from a persistent cough and had attended an appointment with a GP on December 31, 2018.

Dr Martin Allen, of Salisbury-based practice Fisherton House, who visited the teenager, was also informed of how Tanisha had been losing weight and was breathless at times.

Attributing the symptoms to a common chest infection, the inquest heard Dr Allen prescribed her a course of antibiotics and an inhaler and instructed Ms Baverstock to book a blood test.

This took place on January 18 but it wasn't until a week later, after Ms Baverstock chased the result of the examination with the practice, that Tanisha went back to the GP.

On that occasion, January 25, her mother informed Dr Allen that Tanisha was "losing weight much more rapidly". She was also "breathless" and still coughing.

While a referral to the paediatric department at Salisbury District Hospital was made, an appointment wasn't booked until Tuesday January 29, by which point Tanisha had developed a lump in her neck and was becoming "weaker".

Wiltshire and Swindon coroner's court.

On the morning of the appointment the inquest heard that Tanisha was struggling to hold her head up. An x-ray identified "changes to her lungs" yet the pair were told to come back four weeks later.

However, a call from the hospital the next day revealed that "something very nasty was growing in Tanisha's lungs". Ms Baverstock said she was told it was cancer.

"I got off the phone and I couldn't believe what I'd heard," she told the inquest.

"Tanisha was asking 'mum, what's wrong with my lungs?' and I didn't want to tell her what I was told so I just said 'we're going to pack some stuff and take you to the hospital so you can get checked up properly'".

After arriving at Bristol Children's Hospital, where a paediatric oncologist had previously tried to contact Ms Baverstock, and waiting "four to five hours" in A&E, Tanisha and her mother were given the official diagnosis.

"I went away thinking she was in the early stages of cancer," she said.

But after less than 24 hours, the 13-year-old died during a procedure to drain excess fluid from her heart.

Ms Baverstock, who said she wasn't told about the risks the procedure could carry before signing the consent form, said she didn't think Tanisha would die.

"If I had known my daughter was going to die, I would have had chance to say goodbye - that was taken away from me," she said.

"I remember asking the question how long Tanisha had cancer for and I was told two weeks.

"I was told when they opened her up that she was completely riddled with cancer and her heart had haemorrhaged and she was going to die today anyway."

The inquest heard that at no point Ms Baverstock was told there was "anything majorly wrong" with her daughter nor how "urgent" her case was.

Giving evidence via video link, Dr Allen said he had suggested Tanisha be taken for a blood test to Salisbury District Hospital on Wednesday January 2 so he could discuss the results on January 3 via a telephone appointment.

However, this is disputed by Ms Baverstock who said she was "never" given a specific time for the test to be carried out.

The inquest also heard how the practice had "incorrect contact details" for the family, who had moved from Salisbury to Calne just a month before Tanisha's first appointment.

This meant that when Dr Allen tried to call Ms Baverstock on different occasions throughout the month he was unable to get through to her.

The inquest continues.