A 'talented' and 'outgoing' woman died after spending more than an hour in a corridor at Royal Oldham Hospital while suffering from a pulmonary embolism, an inquest has heard.

Clarissa Street, 24, described by her family as a very well liked, creative and outgoing woman who enjoyed being around people and going to concerts, tragically died in 2024.

An inquest into her death, scheduled to last three days, heard on Wednesday (May 6) that Clarissa passed away on August 14, 2024.

Clarissa, a University of Manchester graduate who studied Sociology and received the Dean's Award for her dissertation, was transported to A&E late on August 13 following episodes of dizziness and feeling unwell, reports the Manchester Evening News.

She had previously suffered a provoked pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis in 2017 and had been prescribed blood thinners at various points between then and 2024, the inquest heard.

However, following her arrival at Royal Oldham Hospital, Clarissa was provided with an oxygen mask that wasn't connected to anything 'to try and regulate her breathing' and remained approximately an hour in a corridor before being moved to higher care, the inquest heard.

In evidence presented at the inquest, it was heard how a paramedic had indicated that they believed Clarissa was 'overreacting and having a panic attack' when she was handed over to triage staff. However, her condition worsened and she passed away hours later as a result of pulmonary embolism against a background of fatty liver disease, the inquest was told.

Clarissa, from Castleton, in Rochdale, had been feeling unwell for the two days prior before her boyfriend called an ambulance on August 13 when she began losing consciousness, the inquest heard. She had been unable to sleep and was struggling to keep food and water down in the days leading up to her hospital admission.

Upon her arrival at hospital, Clarissa was given an oxygen mask that was not connected to anything in an attempt to 'regulate her breathing' and left in a corridor.

Staff Nurse Michelle Neale, the triage nurse on duty the night of her death, requested that Clarissa undergo an ECG, blood tests and venous blood gas tests. She stated that the ambulance crew had informed her that Clarissa had been hyperventilating, but that they had regulated her breathing by speaking to her.

She said she 'didn't know' why she gave her a disconnected mask and accepted she shouldn't have done it - but said it 'did regulate her breathing' and that Clarissa was 'speaking in full sentences'.

Ms Neale subsequently handed Clarissa over to a more senior nurse, advising that she would need a cubicle. Despite having low blood oxygen levels and an elevated heart rate, Clarissa was left in a corridor for approximately an hour. She added that the senior nurse had told her that Clarissa was 'young so we'll just keep an eye on her' when she was put on fluids and left in the corridor.

Ms Neale said: "Normally I would challenge it but Clarissa was talking to me. She could speak to me in full sentences.

"I remember her coming in. She was able to talk to me and she told me that she had been on holiday to the Canary Islands. I went back to Clarissa on the corridor and I asked her had [the oxygen mask] helped her and she said yes."

She further stated that a more senior nurse indicated they would administer fluids to Clarissa before reassessing her, with the intention of transferring her to an urgent treatment centre.

However, Clarissa was subsequently moved to a higher level of care to be seen by a doctor, before her condition deteriorated and she tragically passed away in the early hours of August 14.

The inquest heard that, in accordance with national guidelines, there had been no requirement for a haematology referral in 2017 following her pulmonary embolism, nor any necessity for long-term anticoagulant medication, given that her embolism had been provoked.

It was acknowledged that, with the benefit of hindsight, a haematology referral and additional testing may have been beneficial and could potentially have uncovered an underlying contributing factor. Nevertheless, the inquest was told that her 2024 embolism was unprovoked and that 'it cannot be said that the two are linked'.

The inquest commenced on Wednesday, May 6, at Rochdale Coroner's Court and is expected to conclude after three days, on Friday, May 8.