Toddler with signs of sepsis died days after being sent home by hospital
A TODDLeR who died after being discharged from hospital despite a severe infection is ‘highly likely’ to have survived if doctors had followed procedures and prescribed antibiotics, an inquest has found.
yesterday’s damning conclusion after a three-day hearing into the death of 15- month- old Olly Stopforth was described as ‘incredibly painful’ for his parents Laura and Karl Stopforth.
Olly died a little under 48 hours after being discharged from the Countess of Chester Hospital at 3am on March 21, 2020. The inquest, in warrington, Cheshire, heard he
was sent home with advice to give him Calpol and ibuprofen, despite showing signs of scarlet fever. A post-mortem examination found he died of Strep A infection, which can lead to sepsis.
The Mail’s end The Sepsis Scandal campaign aims to raise awareness of symptoms among patients and staff, in an attempt to reduce the number of missed cases of sepsis. in a narrative conclusion, the jury said there were ‘missed opportunities in Olly’s care’ – including no tests for viral infection, a lack of communication between medical staff and a failure to build up a ‘complete picture’ of his condition.
Mr and Mrs Stopforth’s solicitor Diane Rostron said: ‘Laura and Karl felt Olly was not considered as a priority when he was in hospital. Tragically, the care provided to him when he got to the hospital fell well below acceptable standards and they failed to provide the care Olly so badly needed.’
A spokesman for the hospital said: ‘ More investigations should have been done while Olly was in our care. The trust has considered this in detail, and lessons have already been learned as a result.’