Inquest to look at whether death of student, 18, from meningitis in her first term at university was 'preventable'

A jury is to hear the inquest into whether the death of an 18-year-old first year university student from meningitis was 'preventable'. 

Bournemouth University student Megan Draper, from Pontypool in South Wales, tragically died on October 29, 2025, after contracting the infectious disease. 

Despite displaying symptoms including a headache, stomach pain and a rash spreading across her body, the teenager was sent home from Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

At a pre-inquest review hearing held in Bournemouth, coroner Brendan Allen stated a jury would hear the full inquest into Ms Draper's death as she died of a 'notifiable' disease. 

Mr Allen said: 'It's a matter of law if there is reason to suspect someone died of a notifiable disease then it's mandatory and I am satisfied this inquest must be heard with a jury.'

Mr Allen said the scope of the inquest would cover Ms Draper's contact with the NHS 111 service, the triage carried out at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, her out of hours treatment and also her admission to Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

The coroner added the inquest would look at whether 'Megan's death was preventable'.

Mr Allen has asked for Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, which operates the non-emergency NHS 111 service in the area, to provide a statement covering Ms Draper's call and its call-handling procedures.

He expressed his condolences to Ms Draper's family and adjourned the inquest for a provisional starting date of July 19, 2027.

Ms Draper died only five weeks into her physiotherapy course at her 'dream' university after contracting Meningitis B (MenB).

Her parents, Lee and Helen Draper, say they were misled by the standard MenACWY vaccine their daughter, like many other children in the UK, received in year nine at school.

The MenB vaccine (ACWY-135) only became available on the NHS for babies in 2015, due to their heightened vulnerability to the disease. The jab, which is the only protection against the bacteria that involves 83 per cent of meningitis cases in the UK, offers protection for a couple of years.

Ms Draper was vaccinated against meningitis A, C, W and Y at 14 - but her parents were unaware a separate vaccination for MenB existed.

'We just assumed that it was the Meningitis jab. We didn't realise at that point it didn't cover all strains,' her mother previously told the Daily Mail.

'There was a university checklist before Megan went. And on that checklist, it said to make sure you're up to date with your vaccinations.'

On Friday, October 24, Ms Draper's parents received a phone call from their daughter, who said she was feeling 'lethargic'.

But by the following day, her symptoms worsened to include a headache, stomach pain and a rash spreading across her body, and they urged her to go to hospital. 

Despite her symptoms, the teenager was sent home from Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Concerned, Mr and Mrs Draper drove from south Wales to be with their daughter, and took her back to the hospital with beliefs it could be meningitis. 

But Megan was sent away again, Mr Draper, 43, explained: 'We asked the doctor on two separate occasions whether it was meningitis.

'He said it wasn't and was nothing sinister like that. It is just a virus. He said she needed to get plenty of fluids and rest.

'With him being a medical professional, we had to take his word for it but she really wasn't very well.'

On the drive home from hospital back to Wales, Megan's condition deteriorated rapidly, causing her to lose the ability to move her legs.

Her parents rushed to the closest A&E, which was Southmead Hospital, Bristol, where she was put into a medically induced coma. 

She died four days later on October 29, leaving her mother and father, and 15-year-old younger brother James.