Misdiagnosis leads to death of 10 year old boy


 

The family of a 10-year-old boy who died after he was misdiagnosed by an ambulance crew claim they have been subjected to a second ordeal by the “callousness” and “in­humanity” of the NHS complaints system.

Charlie Burns died from an epileptic fit in October 2011, four days after a first seizure was dismissed by paramedics as febrile convulsions, despite him not having had a fever. Furthermore, the paramedics declined to take him to hospital and suggested giving him Calpol; a decision questioned by his parents.

Charlie Burns’ family believe the lack of compassion and care by various NHS organisations served to compound their grief rather than alleviate it. Moreover, the family appealed to the health service ombudsman, Dame Julie Mellor. However, Mellor’s office ruled it could not investigate because one of the paramedics in question was facing a hearing at the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said:

“Hundreds of bereaved families who have lost a loved one through NHS error are treated inhumanely and callously by the NHS. Furthermore, The Health Service Ombudsman should be a ‘court’ of last resort where uncorrected mistakes by the NHS can finally be put right, but the process is not fit for purpose and often ends up compounding the grief of families.”