London News and Reviews

Hospital doctors 'too busy' to save baby dying of meningitis

A coroner has made a scathing attack on hospital staffing levels following the death of an 11-month-old baby.

Nicola Gilworth feared her daughter, Macy, was suffering from meningitis when she took her to hospital in September 2006.

But the child died after a series of blunders by medics, an inquest was told.

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Tragic: Macy Gilworth

There were only two doctors on duty to cover several wards, including the children's. Coroner John Pollard said: "This is too amazing to comprehend."

Macy - who had a heart defect and had been in and out of hospital several times during her short life - had developed red spots on her body which would not disappear when pressure was applied - a recognised test for meningitis.

But an inquest heard that when she arrived at Tameside Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, staff were too busy to deal with her case.

One doctor failed to follow hospital protocol for checking children with rashes and made a mistake in her notes.

It was also claimed that a chart on the ward to check Macy's symptoms was never filled in and there was a delay in getting results of blood tests.

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Devastated: Macy Gilworth's mum Nicola with her partner Sam Skinner

The following morning Macy deteriorated rapidly and the family claimed there were chaotic scenes as medics tried to resuscitate her.

Greater Manchester South coroner John Pollard is to write to Christine Green, chief executive of Tameside Hospital, to express his concern over staffing levels.

He heard how, in the last hours of Macy's life, two doctors were covering general, post-natal and labour, as well as all the children's wards.

Mr Pollard told the inquest in Stockport: "I will be writing to the chief executive to bring to her attention the staffing levels brought to light in this inquest, covering the hospital as a whole and in particular direct staffing levels of the children's ward."

He recorded a verdict of natural causes after a post-mortem examination revealed Macy had died of meningococcal septicaemia - a form of blood poisoning caused by the bacteria which also trigger a form of meningitis.

It is not the first time the hospital has been at the centre of controversy over the treatment of patients in its care.

In September 2006 Mr Pollard condemned Tameside for the "despicable" and chaotic treatment of four elderly patients who died in horrific and degrading circumstances there.

Last night Macy's parents, Miss Gilworth and Samuel Skinner, criticised Tameside Hospital and vowed to take legal action.

Miss Gilworth, 25, said: "We are suing the hospital for clinical negligence. Our family has been treated like dirt by Tameside from day one."

She added: "Macy was a happy baby who was gaining weight and doing all the things a baby of her age should do."

A spokesman for Tameside General said when Macy was admitted there were no clear signs of meningococcal disease.

He added that the child's temperature was "effectively controlled" with medication and her deterioration was "sudden and unexpected".

The spokesman added: "We await Mr Pollard's comments regarding medical staffing levels, but indications are that the number on duty were similar to comparable hospitals and staffing levels were not a factor in Macy's death."

He said additional allegations by the parents that they had been treated insensitively were of great concern to the hospital and would be investigated.

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