An inquest into the death of a student who suffered a fatal seizure after failing to get his anti-epilepsy medication from a branch of Superdrug heard he spent three hours in the pharmacy “begging” for his medicine because the pharmacist did not tell him they were out of stock.

Henrietta Hastings, whose 32-year-old son Charlie Marriage died from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy during a seizure alone in his flat in Camberwell in June 2021, told the inquest the pharmacist, who has not been named, shouldered “considerable responsibility” for the failings leading up to his death.

According to Southwark News, she said she and her son went to the pharmacy in Camberwell on a Saturday that month to get the seizure drug Fycompa but had to wait three hours during which time Marriage became stressed and anxious.

Ms Hastings told the inquest on Monday he “spent the last morning of his life begging for medication from someone (the pharmacist) who was not honest with us.”

She added: “If he had been honest with us, we could have gone somewhere else and got medication.” She said the “build-up of stress and anxiety” was a “massive trigger” for Marriage’s seizure and could have been avoided.

“It was not an enjoyable morning,” Ms Hastings said. “That morning was responsible for causing a lot of stress and anxiety to Charlie and I think he wasted his last morning on earth and that’s pretty bad.”

She also said the pharmacist was unable to access the referral for Marriage’s medication on the computer and claimed they only realised the drug was out of stock after overhearing the pharmacist telling an NHS 111 operator over the phone.

“We had no idea (the pharmacist) couldn’t open the system,” Ms Hastings said. “What he kept telling us was they weren’t sending (the referral) through. It’s one of the worst things about the whole case for us as a family.” 

Later that Saturday, the inquest heard, Marriage got hold of some out-of-date Fycompa at his girlfriend’s house and took a lower dose than normal. He suffered a seizure the following day and died.

Realising he might be without any anti-epilepsy medicine over the weekend because he received a message from NHS Test and Trace on Thursday telling him to self-isolate because of a risk of Covid, Marriage had gone to the pharmacy to get an emergency supply.

Ms Hastings said he called his GP on Friday morning and spoke to a receptionist called Mr Vargus but was cut off and called the practice back later that day.

Superdrug: We are co-operating fully with inquest

Ms Hastings said the practice told her son he would be called back before 4pm but the call never came, so he rang the practice soon after and was told to go online and submit a prescription request which would have been sorted out on the Monday.

Mr Vargus told the inquest the call at 4pm was the only time he remembered speaking to Marriage and there was no record of him calling before that.

Superdrug told Independent Community Pharmacist it is “continuing to co-operate fully with the inquest.”

“Our thoughts and condolences are with Mr Marriage’s family,” the company said. “The safety and well-being of our patients remain our top priority.

“We take all necessary steps to ensure the highest standards of service are upheld at all times. We are unable to comment further while the inquest is still ongoing.”

The inquest at Inner South London Coroner’s Court is expected to end on Friday.

Image: Inner South London Coroner’s Court.