The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Mum wants 999 answers over baby drama
An angry mum who said her baby nearly died from sepsis is escalating her complaint against the region’s ambulance service.
Eszter Wartnaby believes it took too long for her threeweek-old daughter Charmane to be taken to Peterborough City Hospital from their home in Parnwell after suffering from severe breathing difficulties.
She said doctors feared Charmane would not survive the night, but after spending a week in hospital she has thankfully made a full recovery and is back at home.
However, Eszther and husband Terry are dissatisfied with the response to a complaint they submitted to the East of England Ambulance Service and will now file a complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Om- budsman.
Recalling the events on April 21 when Charmane fell ill with sepsis - a rare but serious complication of an infection - Eszther said: “She was in the kitchen in a bouncy chair. She started to cry and her temperature was going up and up and up.
“She had severe breathing difficulties and her temperature was 39.5C.”
The ambulance service has now submitted a formal response to the complaint (see sidebar).
Eszther, however, said she is “really unhappy with the report” which she does not believe accurately reflects what happened, in particular whether her daughter’s condition was taken seriously enough.
She added: “I was at the Amazon Children’s Ward and the doctor said ‘call your husband because we do not think your daughter’s going to make it’.
“They put her on a breathing machine and did blood tests every hour.
“I spent a week looking at my little girl in hospital not knowing what was going to happen. It was a nightmare.”
An ambulance service spokesman said: “We are aware the family have been in contact and will respond to their concerns in the timeframe outlined.”