The emotional mother of a tragic actress has revealed how her daughter died from a blood clot three weeks after her 30th birthday, after ‘associate doctors’ dismissed her symptoms as ‘anxiety’.
Emily Chesterton’s parents are now warning of the dangers patients face due to the expansion of a government scheme for more associate doctors or personal assistants.
Emily, 30, was seen by a personal assistant at her appointment at the Vale Practice in north London on October 31, 2022, thinking she was seeing a doctor.
Her symptoms included calf pain, a hot, swollen leg, difficulty breathing, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to walk.
Emily, who was from Greater Manchester but moved to London to pursue a career in acting, believed she had been treated by a GP, but the GPs prescribed her propranolol for anxiety and also suggested long Covid.
Emily Chesterton (pictured), 30, died after symptoms of blood clots were dismissed as ‘anxiety’
Emily Chesterton’s parents are now warning against the increasing use of medical associates after a coroner found their daughter’s life, pictured, could have been saved.
That same night she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where they found a spot of blood on her left calf, but her heart had stopped beating and doctors were unable to save her life.
A coroner concluded last July that his life could have been saved if he had gone to A&E and suffered a pulmonary embolism.
Mrs Chesterton has now raised concerns about plans to expand the use of PAs.
She said today: “Losing a child is terrible, but when you find out that the death was preventable, that it should have been avoided, it’s just devastating – it’s torture.”
‘All patients should have the right to know who is treating them and have the option to consult a fully qualified doctor.
‘If my time was up, I would have taken her straight to A&E. That is the biggest regret of my life. My advice to anyone is to always ask who you are dating.
she told him bbc “medical assistant” would be a more accurate title.
England now has around 4,000 PAs, although the government wants to reach 10,000 by 2036 to help cover widespread NHS staff shortages.
The NHS careers website says that PAs “support doctors in the diagnosis and treatment of patients” and also states: “You will work under the supervision of a doctor.”
PAs typically study for a biosciences-related degree before undertaking a two-year integrated master’s course.
Emily’s parents, both retired teachers, have called for greater clarity on whether patients are cared for by a GP or a personal assistant.
Mr Chesterton said: “We are concerned that patients visit GPs and don’t realize they are not doctors, like Emily.”
The personal assistant who saw Emily in October last year did not properly introduce herself or present her role, leading Emily to believe she had received informed advice from a GP.
The AP’s contract was later terminated and the practice no longer employs the AP.
Actress Emily (pictured right with her co-stars) believed she had been seen by a GP, but had actually discussed her symptoms with a fellow doctor.
The coroner said Emily “should have been immediately referred to a hospital emergency unit.”
They continued: “If she had been there on any occasion, she would most likely have been treated for pulmonary embolism and survived.”
An NHS spokesperson said after the investigation: “Patient safety is at the heart of the NHS long-term staffing plan and the role of junior doctors is a vitally important part of our staff mix, with more than 3,000 members of staff working in this role across the health service in England.
“Physician associates are qualified and trained healthcare professionals, typically with a bioscience-related degree, who work alongside fully trained physicians as part of the care team.”