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Daily Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Consultant missed 'high-risk indicators' girl, 13, was suffering from sepsis and should have sent her to intensive care, tribunal rules
A 13-year-old girl died from sepsis after a senior doctor missed 'high-risk' signs of the condition and didn't send her to intensive care, a tribunal has ruled. Martha Mills was an inpatient on the Rays of Sunshine Ward at King's College Hospital in London after she suffered a serious injury to her pancreas when she slipped while riding a bike on a family holiday in Wales in July 2021. Weeks later she experienced a fever, increased heart rate and had a catheter inserted into her vein, which is said to have been a likely source of the deadly infection, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) hearing was told. More spikes in her temperature followed, before consultant hepatologist Professor Richard Thompson saw Martha on his morning ward round on August 29 at the hospital. The on-call consultant left the hospital at 3pm, but was phoned at home two hours later by a trainee doctor, who gave an update on Martha's condition. Martha collapsed on August 30 and was moved to intensive care, before she was transferred to London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she died in the early hours of August 31. At a 2022 inquest into her death a coroner ruled Martha would most likely have survived if doctors had identified the warning signs and transferred her to intensive care earlier. Medical records showed she had deteriorated over the course of the afternoon, and into the early evening, with a drop in her blood pressure, the appearance of a new rash and increases in heart rate, respiratory rate and body temperature. Tribunal chairman Robin Ince noted that by 5pm there were 'several high-risk indicators' as set out in the Nice guidelines relating to sepsis. He said: 'These changes collectively indicated a sudden and significant deterioration for no clearly identified was evident that by around 5pm the clinical condition of Martha justified escalation to PICU (paediatric intensive care unit) and this opportunity was not taken.' The duty registrar called Prof Thompson again at 8.30pm because of ongoing concerns over Martha's fever, but she was kept on the ward despite the continued presence of moderate to high-risk signs and the absence of meaningful clinical improvement, said the tribunal. Mr Ince said: 'The tribunal notes that Professor Thompson expressed a preference to prearrange any PICU involvement, rather than having PICU clinicians arrive unexpectedly and cause distress to Martha's parents. 'While the tribunal understands the desire to manage the family anxiety sensitively, this did not, in its view, justify withholding or delaying a clinically indicated escalation of care.' He added: 'The tribunal therefore concluded that the GMC (General Medical Council) has proved its case that Professor Thompson failed to take more aggressive intervention from 12 noon onwards in that he did not escalate Martha to the PICU team for a direct clinical review.' The tribunal also ruled that Prof Thompson should have conducted a direct in-person review and assessment of Martha, including the developing rash, from 5pm, which would have been 'beneficial'. Mr Ince said: 'He would no doubt have discovered that no observations had been taken in respect of Martha from 2pm to at least 4.45pm. 'The tribunal notes that one of the advantages of escalating a patient to PICU would have been an increased level of monitoring. 'Although no explanation has been given to the tribunal for the failure to monitor Martha between 2pm and 4.45pm, this absence of monitoring on the ward would no doubt have been a significant factor in justifying such an escalation.' The tribunal cleared Prof Thompson of the GMC's allegations that he gave 'outdated, misleading' information on Martha's condition to a consultant colleague in the intensive care unit, and that he failed to mention her rash. Martha's mother, Merope Mills, an editor at The Guardian, said she and her husband, Paul Laity, raised concerns about Martha's deteriorating health a number of times but these were not acted on. The couple later successfully campaigned for Martha's Rule to give patients, families and carers the chance to easily request a second opinion from a senior doctor in the same hospital in the event of a suspected deterioration or serious concern. The MPTS hearing in Manchester continues as the tribunal considers whether Prof Thompson's fitness to practice is impaired.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Doctor ‘doubted judgment' after death of teenager Martha Mills from sepsis
A senior doctor has said he 'doubted my own judgment' after the death of a teenage girl from sepsis, but told a medical tribunal he did not believe he made any wrong decisions in her care. Professor Richard Thompson is accused of a number of failings in his treatment of Martha Mills, 13, at London's King's College Hospital two days before she died in August 2021. More than a month earlier Martha had suffered an injury to her pancreas after she fell off a bike while on holiday in Wales. She was later transferred to King's College Hospital, one of three locations in the UK that specialise in the treatment of children with pancreatic injuries. The consultant hepatologist saw Martha on a morning ward round on Sunday August 29 after she had experienced fevers and an increased heart rate in the days before. She was given intravenous fluids that day as her blood pressure was low, a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel heard. Prof Thompson said: 'She was very much awake and interacting, she was having the fluid. She was clearly not well but she was warm, well perfused, talking and making complete sense.' The fluids were increased from late afternoon when the blood pressure reading was still low. The duty registrar called Prof Thompson at home when Martha developed a rash. Prof Thompson said: 'He gave a description of a rash in many places… it was very suggestive of an allergic rash and not a septic rash. I had no reason to disbelieve his description.' He said the registrar was 'at the most experienced end of a junior doctor that you could have' as he was completing his final months of training. Prof Thompson said he could not recall the figures from blood pressure and blood test readings that were relayed to him before he phoned a consultant colleague to consider whether Martha should be moved to intensive care. The General Medical Council (GMC) says Prof Thompson gave 'outdated' information about those readings which gave the false impression that Martha was stable, and that he also failed to mention her rash. The GMC also says he should have returned to the hospital to review Martha himself after he was informed about the rash and should have acted sooner in recommending a critical care review. Martha collapsed the next morning and was moved to intensive care before she was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she died in the early hours of August 31. After her death Prof Thompson decided he would no longer provide inpatient care as he became 'extremely cautious', the tribunal heard. He said: 'I was doubting my own judgment. I don't believe I made any wrong decisions but I thought it better to remove myself from that environment and contribute to other work in the department.' His barrister Ben Rich asked: 'Did you ever doubt your judgment in Martha's case?' He replied: 'Absolutely. I think I was on record saying that I felt I made a mistake and other times I said I didn't.' Prof Thompson denies all the allegations against him. The hearing in Manchester continues. At a 2022 inquest into her death a coroner ruled Martha would most likely have survived if doctors had identified the warning signs and transferred her to intensive care earlier. Martha's mother, Merope Mills, an editor at The Guardian, said she and her husband, Paul Laity, raised concerns about Martha's deteriorating health a number of times but these were not acted on. The couple later successfully campaigned for Martha's Rule to give patients, families and carers the chance to easily request a second opinion from a senior doctor in the same hospital in the event of a suspected deterioration or serious concern. Earlier this year the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee was told that more than 100 patients had been taken to intensive care 'or equivalent' as a result of Martha's Rule, and that patients, their loved ones or staff had raised concerns about care using the rule on more than 2,000 occasions.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Senior doctor admits 'doubting his own judgement' after a teenage girl died from sepsis - but tells tribunal he did not make any wrong decisions
A senior doctor said he 'doubted my own judgment' after a teenage girl died from sepsis - but told a medical tribunal he did not believe he made any wrong decisions. Professor Richard Thompson is accused of numerous failings in his treatment of Martha Mills, 13, at London 's King's College Hospital two days before she died in August 2021. More than a month earlier Martha had suffered an injury to her pancreas after she fell off a bike while on holiday in Wales. She was later transferred to King's College Hospital, one of three locations in the UK that specialise in the treatment of children with pancreatic injuries. The consultant hepatologist saw Martha on a morning ward round on Sunday, August 29, after she experienced fevers and an increased heart rate in the days prior. She was given intravenous fluids that day as her blood pressure was low, a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel heard. Professor Thompson said: 'She was very much awake and interacting, she was having the fluid. She was clearly not well but she was warm, well perfused, talking and making complete sense.' The fluids were increased from late afternoon when the blood pressure reading was still low. The duty registrar called Professor Thompson at home when Martha developed a rash. Professor Thompson said: 'He gave a description of a rash in many places... it was very suggestive of an allergic rash and not a septic rash. I had no reason to disbelieve his description.' He said the registrar was 'at the most experienced end of a junior doctor that you could have' as he was completing his final months of training. Professor Thompson said he could not recall the figures from blood pressure and blood test readings that were relayed to him before he phoned a consultant colleague to consider whether Martha should be moved to intensive care. The General Medical Council (GMC) says Professor Thompson gave 'outdated' information about those readings which gave the false impression that Martha was stable, and that he also failed to mention her rash. The GMC also says he should have returned to the hospital to review Martha himself after he was informed about the rash and should have acted sooner in recommending a critical care review. Martha collapsed the next morning and was moved to intensive care before she was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she died in the early hours of August 31. After her death, Professor Thompson decided he would no longer provide inpatient care as he became 'extremely cautious', the tribunal heard. He said: 'I was doubting my own judgment. I don't believe I made any wrong decisions but I thought it better to remove myself from that environment and contribute to other work in the department.' His barrister Ben Rich asked: 'Did you ever doubt your judgment in Martha's case?' He replied: 'Absolutely. I think I was on record saying that I felt I made a mistake and other times I said I didn't.' Professor Thompson denies all the allegations against him. The hearing in Manchester continues. At a 2022 inquest into her death, a coroner ruled Martha would most likely have survived if doctors had identified the warning signs and transferred her to intensive care earlier. Martha's mother, Merope Mills, an editor at The Guardian, said she and her husband, Paul Laity, raised concerns about Martha's deteriorating health a number of times but these were not acted on. The couple later successfully campaigned for Martha's Rule to give patients, families and carers the chance to easily request a second opinion from a senior doctor in the same hospital in the event of a suspected deterioration or serious concern. Earlier this year the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee was told that more than 100 patients had been taken to intensive care 'or equivalent' as a result of Martha's Rule, and that patients, their loved ones or staff had raised concerns about care using the rule on more than 2,000 occasions.
The Independent
19-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Doctor ‘gave misleading information' on girl, 13, who later died of sepsis
A doctor gave 'false, outdated and misleading' information to a colleague about the condition of a 13-year-old girl who died from sepsis days later, a medical tribunal has heard. The General Medical Council says Martha Mills was referred to the paediatric intensive care unit at London's King's College Hospital 'far too late' after liver specialist Professor Richard Thompson had described the teenager as 'stable'. He is also said to have told a fellow consultant that any direct clinical review from the intensive care team could cause 'increased anxiety' for her parents, despite the availability of a bed on the unit. The consultant hepatologist is appearing before a Medical Practitioners Tribunal accused of a number of failings in his care of Martha on Sunday, August 29 2021. More than a month earlier Martha had suffered an injury to her pancreas after she fell off a bike while on holiday in Wales. She was later transferred to King's College Hospital, one of three locations in the UK which specialise in the treatment of children with pancreatic trauma. The GMC said the criticism levelled at Prof Thompson was not about his management of the youngster's underlying condition but instead his management of sepsis. Days before Martha had experienced fevers and an increased heart rate, and by the time of Prof Thompson's mid-morning ward round on August 29 she was still suffering fevers and also had low blood pressure. The duty consultant was later called at home by a registrar who informed him that Martha had developed a rash across her body but it was unlikely to be caused by sepsis and more likely to be a reaction to drugs she was receiving. Hours later he phoned a consultant colleague on the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) but did not include the rash in his discussion, say the GMC, and also provided incorrect blood pressure and blood test readings. Christopher Rose, representing the GMC, said: 'Professor Thompson's summary contained false, outdated and misleading information, and gave an incorrect impression that Martha was stable and did not need a PICU review. 'Of course Martha was not stable. She had been steadily worsening throughout the day. 'From approximately noon, he failed to appreciate the extent to which she was unwell and failed to respond appropriately. He should have referred her to the PICU. 'By the time she had developed a rash he should have come in and reviewed Martha herself. 'The reality is that she had needed the PICU review since midday. She did not get one until the following morning by which point it was far too late.' Martha collapsed on August 30 and was then transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital but sadly died in the early hours of August 31, the tribunal heard. Prof Thompson denies the allegations. The hearing in Manchester continues. At a 2022 inquest into her death a coroner ruled Martha would most likely have survived if doctors had identified the warning signs and transferred her to intensive care earlier. Martha's mother, Merope Mills, an editor at The Guardian, said she and her husband, Paul Laity, raised concerns about Martha's deteriorating health a number of times but these were not acted upon. The couple later successfully campaigned for Martha's Rule to give patients, families and carers the chance to easily request a second opinion about their NHS care. Earlier this year the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee was told that more than 100 patients have been taken to intensive care 'or equivalent' as a result of Martha's Rule, and that patients, their loved ones or staff have raised concerns about care using Martha's Rule on more than 2,000 occasions.
