Family sue NHS after meningitis boy left with lifelong disabilities
THE family of an eight-year-old boy are suing an NHS Trust after his meningitis, originally dismissed as an ear infection, left him with a lifetime of disabilities.
Elliott Morley has a weakness in his arms and legs, sight problems, and developmental delay, and now has problems with dressing, using a knife and fork, washing, and needs support at school for physical activities.
He has to live with left-sided hemiplegia, leaving him unable to use his left hand and with very little use of his arm. Walking is difficult as he has an abnormal gait with his foot pointing inwards.
When he falls, he is unable to break his fall because his reflexes no longer operate properly. He also has to wear a splint on his arm and his leg every day.
Nicholas and Sophie Morley, his parents, are suing the NHS for nearly £250,000, claiming that if he had been given the correct treatment at Great Western Hospital in Swindon, he would have made a complete recovery.
Mr and Mrs Morley said: “What happened to our little boy should never have happened and whilst the aftercare by the NHS has been excellent, we feel that we have been let down by the
NHS in a very big way. A mother and father know when there is something seriously wrong with their child and although we tried our best to convey this to professionals, we were not listened to.”
The Morleys, from Swindon, took Elliott, then two and a half years old, to accident and emergency at the hospital in June 2014, after he fell ill at nursery three days earlier.
On his way to hospital he suffered uncontrollable shaking, but was not given antibiotics.
A writ lodged by his solicitor Seamus Edney, of SJ Edney Solicitors in Swindon, claims “he would have avoided the injuries completely” had he been given antibiotics.
The writ claims that as well as meningitis, Elliott had also suffered brain abscesses, a stroke, and other complications, and developed cerebral palsy.
Great Western Hospital said that it was unable to comment on an ongoing legal case.