NHS helpline 'missed chance' to save one-year-old William Mead
The mother of a baby whose death has thrown doubt on whether the NHS's out-of-hours helpline can identify when children have potentially deadly illnesses has described the whole situation as "soul-destroying".
Melissa Mead, 29, of Penryn in Cornwall, was speaking after an NHS England report found that 16 mistakes had contributed to the death of her 12-month-old son William.
He died from sepsis as a result of a chest infection on December 14 2014 but could have been saved if a 111 call handler, who spoke to Mrs Mead, had realised the gravity of his illness.
