Latest news with #Tameside
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Fears as 'no medical record exists of examination' that led to fatal discharge of little girl
A coroner has written to Wes Streeting over the tragedy of little Lila Marsland, who was found dead from meningitis, hours after being sent home from hospital being told she had tonsillitis. The coroner told Mr Streeting that he is 'concerned' about how 'vital clinical information' could risk 'being lost' in a complicated 'mixture of various analogue and digital systems' in use at Tameside General Hospital. Alarm around missing medical information include that 'no medical record appears to exist of the examination of Lila which was undertaken by the locum registrar in paediatrics which resulted was discharged from hospital'. READ MORE: Hay fever or Covid? How to tell the difference as new Nimbus variant hits UK READ MORE: How to tell if you have new 'Nimbus' Covid variant or summer cold The coroner also aired fears for the rest of the country's hospitals which 'continue to operate with information being stored and shared in a fragmented and disjointed way'. Lila Marsland was found unresponsive in bed by her mum, dying from meningitis. But around eight hours earlier, the five-year-old was discharged from a long stint in Tameside Hospital as her mum was told she had tonsillitis. Following an inquest at the start of June, which examined Lila's care and treatment at Tameside General Hospital, a jury concluded her death was preventable and 'contributed to by neglect'. Coroner Chris Morris told the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care: 'The court heard evidence that, over the course of almost 10 hours in hospital, Lila's history and details of examinations and assessments undertaken were recorded on a mixture of various analogue and digital systems in operation in different parts of the Trust, leading to a risk of vital clinical information being lost in the system. 'I am concerned that this, and other hospitals elsewhere in the country, continue to operate with information being stored and shared between professionals in a fragmented and disjointed way.' On December 27, 2023, Lila started getting sick. By the evening, Lila's mum - a district nurse who worked for Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust - knew it was serious enough to take her daughter to the trust's A&E at Tameside Hospital. Lila was suffering headaches, a sore throat, a high heart rate, neck pain and limited neck movement, vomiting, lethargy and was unable to pass urine. Lila was sent from adult A&E to paediatric A&E. Mum Rachel Micherton asked hospital staff if it was meningitis. A number of nurses were concerned meningitis was a possible cause for Lila's illness but, following tests and a review by an experienced paediatric registrar doctor, decided she was more likely suffering from tonsillitis. The five-year-old was discharged from Tameside Hospital with antibiotics and a throat spray at around 2am on December 28. Around eight hours later, she was found unresponsive in bed by her mum. She called 999 and attempted CPR. Paramedics arrived, but Lila was pronounced dead at 9.19am. Following the inquest last month at Stockport Coroners Court, the Greater Manchester South Area Coroner produced two 'prevention of future deaths' reports. The reports are sent to relevant authorities to attempt to stop further deaths from causes uncovered during an inquest. Along with his letter to Mr Streeting, the coroner also wrote to the bosses of Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust raising fears about its lacking implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance around meningitis, and notes missing from Lila's case. The absent notes include a record of the final review of Lila by a senior paediatric registrar before she was fatefully discharged. The coroner's prevention report aimed at trust bosses reads: 'I am concerned that no medical record appears to exist of the examination of Lila which was undertaken by the locum registrar in paediatrics which resulted was discharged from hospital. 'The absence of this key piece of evidence serves to limit the ability of the trust to derive all possible learning from Lila's death.' The coroner also shared fears that crucial childhood sepsis screening tools are 'not yet fully embedded in the minds of those who assess and treat children and young people at the trust'. Mr Morris, too, aired concerns that an emergency medicine consultant who approved Lila's transfer from adult to paediatric A&E 'provided a statement to this court that they had seen' Lila 'and 'visually assessed [her] at least'. When called to give evidence in court during the inquest, the consultant admitted this had not happened. Earlier in the inquest, the hearing was told that in a supplementary written statement to the inquest, Dr Muhammad Farooq said: "In this case, on the request of the staff nurse, I performed a preliminary visual assessment and reviewed the patient's vital signs." However, speaking in the witness box, he said he now accepted that was 'wrong' and he had not 'eyeballed the patient'. "Do you accept, in this case, those words are misleading?," Mr Morris said. "It implies you had been to see Lila, or seen her from a distance." "I accept a mistake," Dr Farooq said. "I very openly and honestly accept the mistake." "Should you have gone to see Lila?" Mr Morris asked. "If I would have gone to see Lila, in my final assessment I would have transferred the patient in the same manner, to the paediatric emergency department, to get her seen quickly," he said. Asked how he knew that, Dr Farooq said: "The department was very busy and there was no space downstairs to see the patient. That was the quickest way to see the patient." Ms Mincherton has not returned to work since Lila's death and was 'uncertain' about doing so, as she would 'need to promote the trust' that dealt with her child. More than a year on, an inquest determined Lila died from pneumococcal meningitis streptococcal pneumonia. The Hyde girl's death from meningitis was 'contributed to by neglect', the jury concluded after an eight-day inquest. 'Had Lila been admitted to hospital and given broad spectrum antibiotics within the first hour of being triaged, this would have prevented Lila's death,' the jury concluded. The trust has apologised and accepted there were failings. Ms Mincherton, outside court, said: "I would like to thank the jury for coming to this conclusion, based on the evidence provided - a conclusion I have known for 17 months. "Hearing the word 'neglect' is something a parent should never have to hear and we are now left with the devastating loss of our daughter for the rest of our lives." Rachael and scaffolder Darren, 42, said their lives - and that of Lila's 15 year-old sister Ava - had been 'devastated'. They have been left feeling 'empty'. A spokesperson for Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust said: "We want to express our sincere condolences to Lila's family for their heartbreaking loss. "It is clear from the independent investigation that there were missed opportunities in Lila's care. We accept the coroner's findings and apologise unreservedly for this. As a Trust, we have made and will continue to make improvements to ensure we learn from this case."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Boy, 5, died of sepsis after doctors 'race against the clock' to save him
A family was left 'devastated' after their young son died of septic shock in hospital, an inquest has heard. Pak Lam Law was just five years old when he tragically passed away at around 10am on December 5th 2023 at Tameside Hospital, Stockport Coroners Court heard today (June 17). He had been admitted to the hospital the previous afternoon after being transferred there from Salford Royal Infirmary, where he had been diagnosed with pneumonia. READ MORE: Busy road in Greater Manchester area to close for six months READ MORE: A Lamborghini, designer watches and dirty cash - 'TupacDon' gang smashed on the M61 as cops open secret compartment His condition worsened through the night and despite repeated medical intervention he went into cardiac arrest just before 9:30am and died just before 10am after three rounds of CPR. Senior area coroner Alison Mutch began proceedings by reading a statement from Pak's mother Li Lai Ma. The parents, who were spoken to via a Cantonese interpreter throughout proceedings, left the room while the distressing account was read out. "Pak was a healthy, joyful baby who brought immense happiness to the family," his mother said in her statement. "He was a cheerful, talkative and intelligent child who loved animals and playing with Spiderman toys." "We moved to the UK 12 months before his death and he adapted well. He was all a parent could hope for - thriving and full of life." Ms Mutch then read statements from Pak's GP, the 111 operator who had triaged the family over the phone, the radiologist who had taken an x-ray of Pak at Salford Royal and the NWAS driver who had transferred the family to Tameside, before turning to the facts of the post-mortem. The examination found that Pak had died of multi-organ dysfunction caused by septic shock, itself brought on by invasive pneumococcal pneumonia. There was evidence of fluid in his right lung and in his chest. Pak had been suffering with stomach pains, vomiting and a high temperature for several days when his parents first brought him to Salford Royal Infirmary on November 30 2023. That evening doctors diagnosed him with an upper respiratory tract infection and gastroenteritis, and advised Pak's parents to continue treating him at home with ibuprofen and Calpol. If he did not improve after five days, the family was told to return to hospital - but Li Lai Ma said that no antibiotics were administered, nor were blood samples taken. "At that moment I felt that something was not right. My fears and concerns were dismissed,' she alleged. At home, Pak's condition did not improve, as he continued to vomit and his appetite 'disappeared'. The family returned to Salford Royal A&E in the early hours of December 4 with Pak extremely pale and barely managing to drink water. Upon arrival nurses recorded his blood oxygen, blood pressure and temperature, and an x-ray was ordered. He was periodically reviewed throughout the night. At 8:30am he was reviewed by Dr Anna Rennie, a consultant in paediatric and emergency medicine at Salford Royal. In her statement she noted that Pak had no rash and presented normal levels of consciousness, but added that he seemed tired and was 'working harder than normal' to breathe on his right-hand side. Reviewing the x-ray taken overnight, Dr Rennie diagnosed Pak with right-sided pneumonia, and placed him on intravenous antibiotics and a rehydration treatment. But she explained to the court that, as Salford Royal does not have any paediatric ward beds that can accommodate children for more than 24 hours, Pak was transferred to the nearest available bed which was at Tameside Hospital. As Pak's level of risk was assessed as yellow, he did not receive IV treatment during the transfer nor were any medical personnel present - but Dr Rennie deemed that this would be safe for a half-hour journey. 'What was your overall impression of him, looking back?' asked the coroner. 'I did not feel he was septic, but I was concerned about his risk of deterioration, and that includes sepsis,' Dr Rennie replied. 'Any child with pneumonia is at risk of that.' She added that a 'full set' of notes was sent over with every transferred patient and that a verbal 'clinician to clinician' conversation took place in which she informed staff at Tameside hospital of Pak's history and any concerns she had. 'It was expressly mentioned that I felt concerned about him,' she continued. 'any clinician with sufficient training will recognise that a child with pneumonia is at risk of sepsis.' 'What was the name of the person you spoke to?' the coroner asked. 'Unfortunately I didn't get their name,' Dr Rennie answered. 'That is something I have reflected on following this case.' The family were then transferred to Tameside Hospital, arriving at around 2pm on December 4. Registered paediatric nurse and ward manager Holly Martin, who did not come into contact with Pak until her shift began on the morning of December 5, detailed in her report how nurses had taken observations of Pak's progress throughout the night. The court heard how he continued to receive antibiotics and hydrating fluids via an IV, but his condition continued to worsen. His heart and breathing rate continued to climb, while he remained by turns drowsy and agitated, not responding to light shone in his eyes. Coroner Mutch asked Ms Martin about the observations the nurses took, which are used to calculate the PEWS score, a paediatric early warning system used to monitor deterioration in patients. Ms Martin agreed that some of the notes were incomplete. 'How do you create a PEWS score when some observations, such as blood pressure, are not recorded?' the coroner asked. 'The old scoring system did not require all these elements in order to create a score,' Ms Martin replied. 'We have since moved to a different system.' There was also discussion of the 'sepsis bundle', a set of treatments and checks designed to reduce sepsis mortality. 'Was the bundle used in Pak's case? ' the coroner asked. 'I do not believe so, based on the notes,' came the reply. 'Should it not have been, when his PEWS score went from 2 to 5 between 2:30 and 4am? The doctor notes suggest that around 4:30am there was a clinical review from the registrar – is that what the nursing notes suggest?' Ms Mutch continued. 'They show that there was further medical review but it's not clear at what time. It's not in the documents,' Ms Martin replied. Counsel for the family Louise Green focused on the frequency of the nurses' observations. 'Do you agree that it looks like no nursing observations took place between 8pm and 12:30am?' she asked Ms Martin. 'That is what the documents would appear to show,' she replied. At around 6:30am on December 5 Pak was moved to the high-care bed in the paediatric unit. NWTS (North West Paediatric Transport Service) and the on-call paediatric consultant, Dr Mazen Haider, were called in. Dr Haider had began his shift at 5pm on December 4 and went home at 8pm, remaining on-call overnight until 9am the following day. Overnight he had discussed Pak with the hospital registrar, who told him he had become less responsive and was now vomiting a dark brown substance. 'What was it that caused you to recognise that Pak was in septic shock?' the coroner asked. 'The repeated administering of fluids and the repeated tachycardia (heart rate over 100bpm),' he replied. 'The registrar had taken several steps to manage his condition.' Dr Haider stressed that, when he arrived for his shift the previous evening, none of Pak's observations were consistent with sepsis. 'Before I left I asked the staff if they had concerns about anyone – and no-one did at that time.' His notes clarified that Pak was treated throughout the night but it did not appear to be having an effect, though there was no significant deterioration until around 5:30am. 'You did not get the phone call until 45 minutes later though,' said the coroner. 'At that point it was quite clear that it was septic shock – it is now a race against the clock, is it not?' 'Yes,' Dr Haider agreed. But he also spoke of the difficulty in diagnosing sepsis. 'Discoloured vomit could be stress,' he said. 'And any child who has vomited will be looking pale.' 'Pneumonia is common but the sepsis progression is rare, and progression into septic shock even rarer,' he added. Dr Haidar arrived at the hospital at around 7:15 am when Pak was given an oxygen mask to help him breathe. He was intubated and given adrenaline but he entered cardiac arrest. In her statement read out at the start of proceedings, Pak's mother Li Lai Ma said she 'strongly felt there were missed opportunities' for staff to help Pak and 'possibly save his life.' 'When he was given an oxygen mask, he was clearly distressed and weak, but was trying to speak and say something,' she said. 'I will never forget the image of him struggling to speak while they covered his mouth again and again. That moment is burned into my mind.' 'I told him to fight and be strong so he could come home with us. After the final cardiac arrest I started shouting at them to keep going but the doctor said he was gone. 'We were both just devastated. We all said goodbye and just held each other. Our healthy, happy child, it felt impossible to understand.' 'My son was misdiagnosed and critical opportunities to save his life were missed. I strongly believe that had a consultant been informed earlier, his death could have been prevented. 'It was a serious infection but they did not escalate his care and did not listen when I told them something was wrong. 'All I want is for the real reason for his death to be known and for the court to look into the treatment from the staff involved. They did not take their responsibility seriously enough.' Like the other witnesses, Dr Haider offered his 'deepest condolences' to the family at the end of his statement. 'I want them to know that we did all we could to save him,' he said. The inquest continues.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Man who was 'tortured to death' in his own home was discovered naked in his hallway with ankles bound with duct tape, court hears
Man who was 'tortured to death' in his own home was discovered naked in his hallway with ankles bound with duct tape, court hears A man who was allegedly tortured to death in a brutal attack at his own home was found naked and bound in his hallway, a court has heard. Thomas Campbell, 38, was discovered by shocked neighbours the morning after he was subjected to a harrowing and violent assault in Mossley, Tameside. Jurors at Manchester Crown Court were told the father-of-two was ambushed by a gang of three men as he arrived home late on the evening of Saturday, July 2, 2022. One of the men, John Belfield, 31, is accused of being the ringleader behind the plot. He denies being at the scene and has pleaded not guilty to murder and conspiracy to rob. Another attacker, Reece Steven, has already been convicted of murder, while the third man involved has never been identified. The court heard the 'horrific' killing was the result of 'very careful planning by a team of highly organised criminals' who used a tracking device placed on Mr Campbell's car and carried out reconnaissance on his home in the days before the assault. Prosecutors claim Belfield had a personal motive for targeting Mr Campbell, including a desire to steal 'items of value' and jealousy over a relationship between Mr Campbell and Belfield's ex-girlfriend. Thomas dealt cocaine and was prosecuted for money laundering offences Coleen (pictured) broke up with Thomas after he cheated on her with a friend Pictured is Reece Steven, who was convicted of murder and was jailed for life with a minimum of 37 years Pictured is Stephen Cleworth, one of the killers. He was was found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for 12 years The court was told that Mr Campbell's ex-wife, Coleen Campbell, was among those previously convicted in connection to his death. During a 2023 trial, she was found guilty of sharing crucial details about her former husband's movements — including information passed on by their children — with Belfield. Stephen Cleworth, from Heywood, who acted as a driver for Belfield, was also convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob. He was responsible for planting the tracker on Mr Campbell's vehicle and assisting with surveillance though he was not present during the murder. Steven, described by prosecutors as Belfield's 'right-hand man', was convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob following the same trial. As Belfield's trial continued this week, the jury heard from forensic pathologist Dr Philip Lumb, who carried out the post-mortem examination on Mr Campbell's body. Dr Lumb described the chilling scene where he found the 38-year-old victim lying dead in the hallway of his home. Campbell is pictured outside Manchester Crown Court during an earlier hearing relating to her husband's death Thomas Campbell, 38, was ambushed by three men as he opened his front door in Mossley, Greater Manchester Thomas Campbell, 38, (pictured with Coleen on holiday) was ambushed by three men as he opened his front door in Mossley, Greater Manchester The expert said Mr Campbell had sustained injuries consistent with 'restraint' and 'asphyxia', and had suffered a 'sustained blunt sharp force physical assault' to the head and neck. Jurors also heard Mr Campbell had suffered burn injuries to his thigh and buttocks, believed to have been caused by 'a hot liquid such as hot water'. A large stab wound to his upper arm had bled heavily, and a makeshift tourniquet had been found on the limb. Dr Lumb concluded that the medical cause of death was a combination of multiple sharp force injuries, blunt force head injuries, and pressure to the neck. Belfield, of no fixed address, continues to deny murder and conspiracy to rob as the trial proceeds.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Two-hour free parking begins after Tameside Council U-turn
Two hours of free parking has been introduced in parts of Greater Manchester following a council years ago there was uproar from shoppers and traders in Tameside after charges at 42 pay-and-display car parks were increased from £1 to £3.50 for three motorists voted with their wheels, and visits to one car park in Ashton-under-Lyne fell by 20%, with shops seeing their takings collapse. It led to a change of heart and the revised two-hour charge-free period now applies to all Tameside Council-run car parks from Monday to Saturday before 18:00 BST. Val Unwin, who runs Decisions Clothing in Ashton-under-Lyne, said: "It's the best thing that could have happened right now, the only downside to me is its taken longer than everyone would have liked." Karen Whelan, who runs Chicken BBQ in the town's Market Avenue, also said the decision had come too late."They should have done this from the start because people have gone elsewhere now so hopefully it might bring them back," she said."We hope it will bring them back."Council leader Eleanor Wills said the authority had "taken stock of the parking offer and reflected that, as it stood, it didn't meet the needs of people".She added: "This two hours will hopefully encourage people to come into town centres." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
05-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Hospital neglect a factor in girl's meningitis death
The death of five-year-old girl who was sent home from hospital with suspected tonsillitis hours before dying from meningitis was contributed to by neglect, an inquest jury has Marsland was examined by various medics over several hours at Tameside Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, on 27 December despite displaying several warning signs of meningitis no one began the treatment which could have saved her life, Manchester South Coroner's Court mother Rachael Mincherton said lessons must be learned from her death. The trust which runs the hospital said it "accepts the findings and apologises unreservedly". Ms Mincherton, of Hyde, Greater Manchester, described her as "a lively and vibrant little girl" who was thriving at school and enjoying time with her friends. She took her to the hospital's A&E after finding her lethargic, with a headache and a worryingly fast heartbeat, the inquest mother, who was a nurse at the same hospital at the time, said she queried whether Lila could have jury heard her neck was so stiff and painful that various clinicians over several hours were unable to complete a standard test which would have pointed towards meningitis. Another test on her legs should have raised warning signs but failed to do so and medical staff thought she had tonsillitis, the court was nine hours after she had arrived, Lila was discharged from the observation ward and sent home with her over seven hours after that she was pronounced dead by paramedics after her mother woke to find her witness Dr Philip Chetcuti previously told the court had Lila been given intravenous antibiotics in the first three hours of her time there, she would probably have inquest heard Lila was never fully examined for a rash - only her chest and back - and the test on her neck was never fully carried out, partly because each person assumed that someone else had already done she went from clinician to clinician, her notes were recorded on different systems, some paper, some electronic and this meant vital information was not properly passed on, the inquest heard. 'Devastating loss' There was a fundamental misunderstanding early on, too, that she had been examined by a senior doctor in adult A&E, when in fact he had never seen her, the jury was told. He was relying on a nurse's examination when he had decided she was well enough to be transferred, and that her elevated heart rate was probably anxiety, the court was this misunderstanding led other clinicians to believe her case was not urgent and when she was sent home they believed she had jury returned a narrative conclusion, finding that Lila died of natural causes and the cause of death was meningitis. They also decided her death was contributed to by Christopher Morris said to Lila's family: "I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must have been sitting through evidence and having to relive the events." He said he hoped it gave some answers to the events leading to her death and offered his coroner made several prevention of future death reports and recommendations to the trust. Missed opportunities Ms Mincherton said it was "vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety".Speaking outside court, she said: "Throughout this process we have faced a number of defences to the care Lila received."We got the outcome today that we believed we should have but hearing the word 'neglect' is something a parent should never have to hear."We are now left with the devastating loss of our daughter for the rest of our lives."Tameside General Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, released a statement offering their condolences to Lila's family. "It is clear from the independent investigation that there were missed opportunities in Lila's care. We accept the coroner's findings and apologise unreservedly," a statement read."As a trust we have made and will continue to make improvements to ensure we learn from this case." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
