Jackie McDevitt: "Should have advised a 999 call"

During three days of hearings at Plymouth Guildhall, the inquest heard how a catalogue of mistakes was made in the hours before Mrs Wooldridge died.

During the morning of 18 April, the 60-year-old became increasingly unwell with fluctuating and often very high blood sugar levels, nausea and sweating.

Her daughter, Donna, called the telephone helpline NHS Direct and was told to give her mother flat lemonade or coke and paracetomol.

Later it was suggested she let her mother sleep.

Mrs Wooldridge eventually died from ketoacidosis - a rare chemical imbalance caused by lack of insulin.

'Mistakes made'

During the course of the inquest, NHS Direct admitted a number of mistakes had been made.

Nurse adviser Jackie McDevitt, who broke down while giving evidence, admitted she should have told the family to dial 999 immediately, adding she was tired and unwell during the nightshift in question.

Norma Lane, lead nurse at NHS Direct Westcountry, said she did not know Miss McDevitt had any medical problems at the time.

In a statement, the former medical director of NHS Direct, Dr Peter Sims, said he believed the nurse had acted inappropriately.

Jackie McDevitt has since been dismissed by NHS Direct.

Unfortunate consequences

A statement by Dr Peter Simms, former medical director of NHS Direct Westcountry, said: "This nurse acted inappropriately in her consultation and advice.

"It is probable by her poor practices she has contributed to these unfortunate consequences, ie: the patient's death."

At a earlier hearing, Professor Andrew Hattersley, a diabetes specialist at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, was critical of NHS Direct.

He said: "The telephone takes away the ability to spot if a patient is ill, which we rely on as a sixth sense rather than taking guidelines by rote."

Paul Barker representing NHS Direct said its guidelines on diabetes had been changed since, but not because of Mrs Wooldridge's death.