Latest news with #StephanieNeillings
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Medical neglect contributed to boy's sepsis death
Medical neglect contributed to the death of a three-year-old boy who developed a strep A infection and later died of sepsis in hospital, an inquest jury has Neillings had been unwell days before he was rushed to the Chesterfield Royal Hospital in Derbyshire in November 2023 but he was not given antibiotics he needed until more than two hours after being inquest heard his care at the hospital was "fragmented" with his sepsis missed and his parents saying they were not told how ill their son bosses said they accepted the findings of the inquest. Speaking after the verdict, Oscar's mother Stephanie Neillings said: "I am so grateful that the jury were able to see clearly what happened... the hospital left Oscar to die." The jury reached a narrative conclusion and said Oscar died from natural causes contributed to by were instructed to record Oscar died from sepsis following bronchopneumonia and invasive strep A coroner for Derby and Derbyshire Julie Mitchell said she would not be issuing a Prevention of Future Deaths report as she was "satisfied changes have been implemented to improve patient safety" at the inquest previously heard from Oscar's mother who criticised medics who treated her son in hospital and "thought she was being crazy" when she suggested he had heard strep A infection was not considered when Oscar attended two out-of-hours GPs appointments on 5 and 7 his parents were told he had a "viral upper respiratory infection" and "did not consider he would deteriorate", the coroner said. After his condition worsened he was seen again at his family GP surgery the next morning where he had a nebuliser put on him and was taken to hospital under blue was seen by clinicians who found he had low oxygen levels and a poor respiratory had a chest X-ray, which showed "significant right-sided consolidation" and was given intravenous fluid and steroids. Mrs Neillings told the court doctors spoke about a chest infection and they were going to administer antibiotics but said care was "unorganised"."I had absolutely no idea how poorly he was until right at the end," she arrived at the hospital at 10:30 GMT but was not given antibiotics until 12:54 due to "delays" from a "prescribing error", the inquest Neillings said a matron came to check on Oscar later in the day and said he had deteriorated and paged for a doctor just before 15:00 and he was taken into intensive went into cardiac arrest three times and died just before 17:30. The Derbyshire Times reported consultant paediatrician Dr Nelly Ninis of London's St Mary's Hospital told the jury sepsis was "not recognised" in Oscar by staff at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, adding no-one really "owned" Oscar's care – which she described as "fragmented".The court was told how there was evidence Oscar was in septic shock the morning of his transfer to hospital, the newspaper Ninis said under National Institute for Clinical Excellence sepsis protocols, a high dose of antibiotics and "rapid infusions of fluid" were needed within the first hour to reverse septic shock, it jury heard Oscar did not receive antibiotics after nearly two and a half hours in hospital and only 10ml of fluid – when he required at least 60ml, the Derbyshire Times said. Speaking to the media on the steps of Chesterfield Coroner's Court following the verdict, Mrs Neillings said: "Our darling little boy was taken away from us and he can't come back."We long for our life to be how it was but have to adapt to this new normal, carry on and carry Oscar with us."I don't want him to be known for how he died, I want Oscar to be known for how he lived, his short life was so full of energy, happiness and love and we will be forever grateful for Oscar." Helen Reynolds, medical negligence lawyer at Fletchers Solicitors who represented the family during the inquest, said they were now pursuing a civil claim against Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation added the trust said it had produced an action plan but had not made it public."This inquest has brought painful clarity to what went so tragically wrong in Oscar's case," she said."The failings in his care are deeply distressing but the family's courage in sharing their story must lead to action."Any changes must be accompanied by clear deadlines, measurable outcomes, and complete transparency. "Families deserve assurance that these commitments are being honoured and no other child will be failed in the same way." Krishna Kallianpur, executive chief nurse at the trust, said: "At the heart of this is a family who have lost their three-year-old son and for that we offer our sincere condolences."We have submitted a full learning review and acknowledge the findings of HM The Coroner with the conclusion of natural causes contributed to by neglect. "We will continue to embed the actions taken to date to ensure that we continue to learn and improve."
BBC News
07-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Mum tells inquest boy, 3, did not get antibiotics soon enough
Boy did not get antibiotics soon enough - inquest 10 minutes ago Share Save George Torr BBC News, Derby Reporting from Chesterfield Coroner's Court Share Save Family Handout Oscar Neillings was three-years-old when he died in 2023 The mother of a three-year-old boy who developed a strep A infection and later died said he was not given antibiotics soon enough before he developed sepsis, an inquest heard. A jury at Chesterfield Coroner's Court heard Oscar Neillings was seen by two out-of-hours GPs in the days before he was admitted to hospital. Oscar was transferred to Chesterfield Royal Hospital in an ambulance after another visit to a GP surgery but suffered a cardiac arrest in the evening of 8 November 2023 and died. Oscar's mother Stephanie Neillings told the inquest: "[For medical professionals] not to recognise sepsis when I had it on my mind... but I thought I was being crazy." Assistant coroner for Derby and Derbyshire Julie Mitchell instructed the jury to look into whether there were "missed opportunities to treat or escalate his care" and if "failures had any material bearing" in his death. Oscar, who was described in court by his mother as an "early riser who would love to sing", said he had many friends and had "a confidence I wish I had". "Oscar was so full of life and that's why it is hard to believe that he's gone," she said. "The house is very quiet now, what I would give to hear his screams around the house." The inquest heard Oscar had a chronic cough which would "fluctuate in severity" but it did not impact his day-to-day life and did not cause him breathing difficulty. He was seen by a paediatric consultant at Chesterfield Royal Hospital to be put on a two-month trial to use a steroid inhaler on 17 October 2023. Family Handout Oscar's mother Stephanie Neillings said her son was "full of life" The jury was then told Oscar developed a "minor cold" by the end of the month which did not seem to improve and became "tearful and whimpering". Mrs Neillings said: "You know when your own child isn't themselves… he wasn't even paying attention to his iPad – he didn't have the energy... he just wasn't right." She told the court Oscar was complaining of a sore throat and after a look at his tonsils, she said she saw a "white pustule" on his tonsils and requested another out-of-hours appointment with a GP. He was seen by an out-of-hours GP at Ashgate Manor in Chesterfield on 5 November who told his parents Oscar had a "viral upper respiratory infection" and "did not consider he would deteriorate" as well as "no need for hospital escalation", Mrs Mitchell said. The jury heard Oscar then began to complain of stomach pain and began vomiting. He also had "funny breathing" which the parents had not heard before. After calling 111, Oscar was seen again at Ashgate Manor out-of-hours service. Mrs Neillings said: "He was checked over by the doctor, I didn't think too much of it – it reassured us that he was going to be fine and that it was just a virus." The jury was told strep A infection was not considered. Family Handout Oscar was taken to Chesterfield Royal Hospital in an ambulance on the morning of 8 November 2023 But the court heard Oscar continued to feel unwell and was unsettled in the night getting out of bed and kept sitting on the landing. He was seen by GP the next morning where he was examined and had a nebuliser put on him. Mrs Neillings told the inquest Oscar said "help me" to the healthcare staff. The boy was then sent to Chesterfield Royal Hospital in an ambulance on the morning of 8 November. Oscar was seen by clinicians who found he had low oxygen levels and a poor respiratory rate. He had a chest X-ray which showed "significant right-sided consolidation" and was given intravenous fluid and steroids. Mrs Neillings told the court doctors spoke about a chest infection and they were going to administer antibiotics. Asked about Oscar's care in hospital, Mrs Neillings said: "It was so unorganised – I didn't know what was going on. "There was a lack of communication between medical staff and us because I had absolutely no idea how poorly he was until right at the end." Family Handout The inquest was told Oscar died from 1A sepsis following bronchopneumonia and invasive strep A infection Mrs Neillings said a matron came to check on Oscar later in the day and said he had deteriorated and paged for a doctor. Oscar went into cardiac arrest and died just before 17:30 GMT. The coroner told the jury Oscar died from 1A sepsis following bronchopneumonia and invasive strep A infection. Mrs Neillings was asked by the coroner about her general concerns she had at Oscar's care from the out-of-hours appointments and in the hospital. She said: "I am adamant I saw white pustules on his tonsils but she didn't – at that time if he had the antibiotics then potentially it wouldn't have ended up [in this situation] they would've been the same as they get for strep A. "It's madness how he was sent home with a viral infection... it doesn't say what the doctor thought it could be... I find it really crazy we were sent away with a viral infection and to keep on the Calpol which wasn't working." On his care in hospital, she added: "There was a lack of leadership, no-one took control throughout the day... the fact he didn't get the antibiotics when he needed them and they missed their timescales for that. "We saw so many doctors that day and no one recognised sepsis. "[For medical professionals] not to recognise sepsis when I had sepsis on my mind... but I thought I was being crazy." The inquest, which is expected to last three weeks, continues. Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.
