Hospital bosses are ‘investigating’ after a mum questioned why her toddler was placed on a ward with a teenager who had to be restrained by security guards.
Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH) has apologised to three-year-old Luca Arrowsmith and his mum, Jasmine Moore, for the ‘distress’ they experienced during their stay.
Jasmine, 21, says Luca was placed on the same ward as a much older child when he was admitted with an ear infection earlier this month.
She claims a nurse told her the older child was on the ward because there was ‘no room’ for her on a mental health ward.
But Jasmine says the older patient’s behaviour was frightening for Luca, who hid under bed covers when the teen started ‘screaming and swearing’ and had to be restrained.
Hospital bosses have apologised and say they are investigating.
Luca, from Blackpool, was admitted to RMCH earlier this month with a severe infection to his ear.
His mum was with him throughout his almost two-week long stay and says she heard a young woman ‘screaming, shouting and swearing’ on several occasions.
“Luca had an ear infection but it turned into a bigger infection,” Jasmine says.
“We went to Blackpool Hospital first and were sent straight to Manchester by ambulance.
“I had a bed next to him. This girl had been there since we arrived. The rest of the ward are all young children.
“I thought she looked a lot older, around 16. She was shouting and swearing.
“When I was speaking to the nurse the next morning she asked if we’d had a good night and I said ‘not really because of the noise’.
“She said the patient was supposed to be on a mental health ward, but because there is no room she is on here.”
Manchester Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, could not clarify if it was normal practice for children of such differing ages to be placed on a ward together.
They were also unable to clarify if the teenage patient was placed on the ward due to a lack of beds on a mental health ward. However they said RMCH does not have any mental health beds.
Jasmine says the teenager at one point had to be restrained by several security guards.
She believes it was unsuitable for both the patient herself and the other children to be on the same ward together.
“There were some babies and toddlers on the ward,” she says.
“She was banging on the walls, shouting and swearing. My little boy said ‘I’m scared, Mummy’.
“She was next door to us so her bed was against our wall.
“One day she got up and security had to chase her. There were at least six security guards outside her door.”
Luca's great grandmother has complained to the Patient Advice Liaison Service.
A spokesperson for RMCH said: “We are sorry that Luca and Jasmine experienced this distress during their stay at our hospital.
“Our senior team are aware of this and are investigating fully.”
