Latest news with #preventabledeath
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Pippa White's death in NSW hospital was preventable and ‘system failed her', medical experts tell inquest
The septic shock death of a two-year-old girl in a regional New South Wales hospital was preventable, senior medical experts told an inquest. Pippa Mae White died on 13 June 2022, two months before her third birthday, after doctors at the hospitals in Cowra and Orange wrongly assumed she had an acute viral illness rather than the serious bacterial infection that killed her. Giving evidence on Wednesday at the coronial inquest into her death, a 'conclave of experts' who weren't involved in Pippa's treatment said she should have been checked and treated for potential sepsis much earlier than she was. The NSW deputy state coroner Joan Baptie is examining whether Pippa's death was preventable and whether she received appropriate care in Cowra and Orange, and from the Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service team. The inquest previously heard that Pippa presented to Cowra hospital about 2pm on 12 June 2022 with a fever, vomiting, and a heart rate of 171 beats per minute, considered in the 'red zone' for sepsis. She did not have a blood test until nearly 4am on 13 June, after she was transferred to Orange, which revealed she had a serious infection. She was administered antibiotics and given a chest X-ray, which showed she had pneumonia that had caused a 'complete whiteout' of her left lung. She suffered two cardiac arrests and died just after 1pm. Five of the seven medical experts who submitted a joint report to the inquest gave oral evidence on Wednesday: Prof Simon Craig, Prof John Raftos, Prof Warwick Butt, Prof Adam Irwin and Associate Prof Phillip Braslins, along with GP Robert Morton. While there was some disagreement on when the paediatric sepsis pathway should have been activated for Pippa, all the doctors agreed investigations into possible sepsis – including blood tests – should have been started much sooner than they were. The experts agreed medical staff became 'anchored' on the wrong diagnosis of a viral illness. They stressed the importance making 'serial observations' of vital signs heart rate and oxygen saturation more frequently than was done in Pippa's case. The inquest was previously shown a video of Pippa in the Cowra emergency department making a 'grunting' noise while breathing, which the doctors on Wednesday said would have been identifiable with a stethoscope. Raftos said Pippa was already a 'very sick' and 'lethargic' child when she was taken to Cowra and she needed a rapid response. He said if medical staff in Cowra didn't have the capacity to treat Pippa right away, as the inquest previously heard, they should have arranged for an ambulance to take her to Orange, or for her mother, Annah, to drive her there. Raftos said the alternative was 'doing nothing, which is what they did'. Craig said the 'make or break' point when 'things went absolutely wrong' was at 1am on 13 June when there were 'delays in escalation' at Orange hospital despite Pippa having become 'critically ill'. The junior doctor in charge of looking after Pippa in Orange, Dr Christopher Morris, last year cried in the witness box as he gave evidence to the inquest and said he wished he had called a rapid response earlier in the night. The experts on Wednesday said the senior paediatrician on-call the night Pippa was admitted, Prof Adam Buckmaster, should have assessed her that evening. The inquest previously heard he didn't attend the hospital until the morning of 13 June. Most of the experts agreed Pippa should have had her blood tested and been administered antibiotics around 9pm on 12 June after arriving at the hospital. 'She should have been on the [sepsis pathway], she should have had an IV [intravenous drip] inserted, she should have had bloods done, and she should have had antibiotics given. I think it's very clear,' Butt said. 'I believe the death was preventable, and that means the system failed her,' Butt said. The inquest continues, with a final block of hearings expected later this year.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Family of Recology worker say death could have been 'prevented'
The Brief Family of Alfredo Romero, 61, calls his death 'preventable' Company accused of keeping family of killed worker in the dark Cal OSHA, San Mateo District Attorney investigation underway SAN FRANCISCO - The family of the Recology worker who died on the job Friday morning spoke out Wednesday, calling the death "preventable," and asking for answers from the company they said has remained tight-lipped during the investigation. Alfredo Romero, 61, of Fremont, died on Friday at the Recology facility on Tunnel Avenue in San Francisco. In an interview conducted on Wednesday at the funeral home where the family is making arrangements, his three adult children, Michelle, Danielle, and Joseph, told KTVU they were "not prepared" for his death and are demanding transparency. Michelle said the news came as a shock on Friday, when she received a call from Recology. "They asked if I was related to someone else, like a similar name, but it wasn't my dad's name. They got the name wrong," she said. "They were like, 'Albert Romero?' and I said, 'Do you mean Alfredo?'" When she finally understood that her father had been in an accident, she said, "My heart dropped… what kind of accident could have possibly happened that would end in death?" Michelle said her father, who came from a line of garbage workers and spent four decades in the industry, was a skilled mechanic and a mentor to his peers. "What was really hard was that the company wasn't telling us anything," she said. Michelle and her siblings said her father's colleagues, who were present during the incident, were the only ones who provided some insight. "It wasn't a health thing. It was a traffic accident. He was on the back of the hopper of one of the new trucks in the shop. He was trying to work on it when it happened. It feels like something that really should have been prevented," Michelle said. She said it was a typical shift with her dad doing his normal work. "That should have been a normal day. He should have come home from work." Michelle added that the family "would hear complaints from my dad and the guys in general, about [Recology] cutting corners on expenses" when the workers needed new equipment. "But I don't really know what is relevant in this particular instance," she said. Michelle told KTVU that her family has not been able to retrieve Alfredo's belongings from the site, as the investigation continues. With tears in her eyes, Michelle recalled how proud he was to do the work he did, and how he loved his coworkers. She said the men who worked with her dad have supported her during this difficult time. She said Alfredo was a family man who loved spending time with his four grandchildren. A dedicated father, the family described him as a hardworking man who worked overtime and on holidays to provide a comfortable life for his family. The labor union he was a member of, Teamsters Local 350, wrote a letter to the employee-owned company on behalf of the family asking for transparency, calling the loss "a heartbreaking reminder that the waste industry remains one of the most dangerous professions in the country." The other side In a statement from Recology, a spokesperson wrote, "We are heartbroken for the Romero family. We understand, and we share, their shock. However, the incident is still being investigated, and we are working with the proper authorities to determine exactly what happened." The family said they hope safety is prioritized at Recology, so tragedy doesn't strike again. Cal OSHA and the San Mateo District Attorney's Office are investigating the death and cannot release any additional information until the investigation is complete. Cal OSHA has six months to complete its investigation and issue any citations. There is a GoFundMe for the family's funeral expenses.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Parents' pain after Harlow hospital failures led to baby's death
Hospital failures led to baby's death - inquest 9 minutes ago Share Save Lewis Adams BBC News, Essex Nikki Fox BBC health correspondent, Essex Share Save Russo family Emmy Russo's death was preventable had hospital staff acted sooner, an inquest heard The parents of a baby who died after five missed opportunities for a C-section said their lives had transformed into a "continuous reel" of grief. Emmy Russo died three days after she was born at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, in January 2024. A coroner ruled that had staff acted on concerns raised by mother Bryony Russo earlier, it was likely the newborn would have survived. Sharon McNally, the hospital's chief nurse, said she recognised the coroner's findings, and added: "We sincerely apologise to baby Emmy's family." Russo family The pregnancy had been deemed low-risk and the couple expected a healthy baby She said: "The safety of women, babies and families when receiving maternity care is our absolute priority and we ensure that learning from any incident is part of our focus on continuous improvement." The inquest at Essex Coroner's Court heard Emmy's brain was starved of oxygen during labour, causing her catastrophic brain injuries. It followed several warning signs, including meconium, the consistency of "toothpaste" in Mrs Russo's waters, not being heeded by hospital staff. "When we knew meconium was starting to show, I felt that Emmy was too high up in my belly," Ms Russo told the BBC. "I'd never had a baby before, so it was just an instinct, a feeling of I couldn't see my baby naturally coming out that way." Russo family Bryony and Daniel Russo said they were "overjoyed" at the thought of becoming parents Mrs Russo said she asked for a C-section, but was "laughed off" and told to proceed with a natural birth. Her husband, Daniel, added: "I kept telling Bryony 'please trust them, they're professionals so let them do their job'. "It was a very relaxed atmosphere at the Princess Alexandra, everything was 'don't worry, it'll be OK'. "But everything wasn't OK for a very long period of time, and it resulted in the death of our daughter." Mr Russo said staff congratulated him on becoming a father before telling him Emmy had been "born dead". "In one minute, I went through the emotions of thinking it was all OK, to confusion, to heartbreak," he added. Emmy was transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge but died in her father's arms three days later. Russo family Mr and Mrs Russo hope hospital staff learn from Emmy's death Mrs Russo said she lost her job of 10 years and did not leave the house for four months in the aftermath of her daughter's death. "You lose any direction of life, how I experience grief is a continuous reel of what happened." 'Upset and anger' The couple said they finally felt heard after the inquest laid bare the hospital's failures. Independent expert obstetrician Teresa Kelly told the court there had been enough evidence "this baby wasn't coping with labour" and staff should have acted sooner. "It was overwhelming because it was a relief, but then there was so much upset and anger because it just confirmed there were so many points where it could've been different," Mrs Russo said. She claimed it was "terrifying" to witness staff interpret guidelines and scans differently, rather than everyone being "on the same page". Mrs Russo added: "I really hope what happened with Emmy makes a change in those professionals involved, but also those people who are learning across all departments." If you have been affected by this story, you can find organisations that offer help, support and information at BBC Action Line. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
