The family of a woman, described as a “beautiful mum,” is questioning the preparedness of the NHS to handle her rabies illness. Yvonne Ford, aged 59, passed away several weeks after being scratched by a puppy during her trip to Morocco. She was diagnosed with rabies after falling ill in late May and despite receiving treatment at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, she sadly succumbed on June 11. During a preliminary inquest, her family expressed concerns over the NHS’s ability to manage such a severe diagnosis. Yvonne’s husband, Ron Ford, requested answers from the medical professionals regarding overlooked aspects of her care.
At the hearing, the family highlighted discrepancies in the information provided to them during Yvonne’s treatment, citing a phone call where they were initially informed that she did not have rabies. The Assistant Coroner, Ms. Whittle, clarified the role of the coroner to focus on the factual aspects of the case rather than addressing specific questions raised by the family.
Yvonne’s daughter, Robyn, fondly remembered her mother as a compassionate individual and a devoted grandparent. Recalling the incident in Morocco, Robyn mentioned that the scratch from the puppy seemed harmless at the time. However, Yvonne’s health deteriorated rapidly upon returning home, experiencing severe symptoms leading to a rabies diagnosis. Tragically, there is no cure for rabies once symptoms manifest, resulting in Yvonne being placed on life support before her passing.
A thorough four-day jury inquest into Yvonne’s death is scheduled for March 2 next year.