A coroner has raised serious concerns about how a toddler’s care was handled by her GP surgery, after she tragically died from complications linked to Strep A. Michael Pemberton, the coroner overseeing the inquest into 22-month-old Hailey Thompson’s death, has issued a formal ‘prevention of future deaths’ report to the GP surgery involved. Hailey’s cause of death was sepsis and pneumonia brought on by a Streptococcus A infection.
Following a four-day jury inquest, it was concluded that Hailey died of natural causes. However, the jury also found there was a “missed opportunity” to properly review her care during a crucial moment, particularly at the primary care level, reported ITV.
The coroner’s report is addressed to SSP Health, the organisation running Ashton Medical Centre, where Hailey was registered. It focuses on how the practice handled an appointment request from Hailey’s mother, Ibolya Adam, after the toddler developed a rash and was taken off antibiotics she was prescribed for a suspected throat infection.
Ms Adam had spoken to a care navigator — not a clinician — who arranged for a pharmacist to call her. But the pharmacist, who wasn’t qualified to deal with paediatric medications, flagged this in a message that wasn’t properly logged in the medical records system.
Mr Pemberton said the care navigator also didn’t seem to have any clear guidance or triage tools to identify that an allergic reaction to medication might require urgent review by a doctor. He warned that this gap in the process could potentially put other patients at risk in the future.
He explained, “The jury who heard the inquest found that there was a missed opportunity to review the antibiotics, which was not causative in this case… In my opinion, there is a risk that an urgent need for appropriate clinical referral may not occur in the above circumstances.”
SSP Health CEO Andy Scaife responded, saying: “We are deeply saddened at the death of one of our patients. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Hailey’s family and loved ones.”
While noting that the coroner made clear the issues raised didn’t directly contribute to Hailey’s death, he added that the concerns reflect wider practices common in many surgeries nationwide. SSP Health is currently carrying out an internal review and plans to respond to the coroner once that’s complete.
Don’t Miss These:
- This Morning Viewers Switch Off in Droves Over Bizarre On-Air Shakeup
- Heartbroken Parents Spread Joy in Cemeteries After Sudden Death of Daughter Aged 2
- Shark Horror at Israeli Beach as Human Remains Found After Diver Viciously Attacked
- Queen Camilla ‘boiling with rage’ over thoughts of Harry’s return to the royal family
- Keir Starmer Unveils Bold Plan to Supercharge Jobs for Welders and Electricians
