Shocking failures: As 13-month-old Bobby Bushell (pictured with his mother in 2007) screamed in pain in a waiting room, one nurse even suggested his parents wheel him around in a buggy as he was 'a bit loud'.
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A baby boy died from meningitis after hospital doctors twice failed to spot the symptoms and dismissed his mother’s fears as ‘hysterical’.
As the little boy screamed in pain in a waiting room, one nurse even suggested his parents wheel him around in a buggy because he was ‘a bit loud’.
Hours later, 13-month-old Bobby Bushell was dead. The appalling standard of care he received was laid bare yesterday after his parents won a five-figure sum in damages from the hospital trust.
Last night Bobby’s mother, Jane Hooks, said hospital doctors had ‘arrogantly’ dismissed her concerns he was suffering from meningitis.
‘The treatment by staff at the hospital was nothing short of disgraceful and the doctors arrogantly waved away my fears my little boy was suffering from meningitis – not once, but twice,’ she said.
‘Their attitude cost my son his life. If they had listened to a mother’s instinct instead of lazily dismissing me as hysterical then Bobby would be alive today.’
Miss Hooks said that as her son’s condition deteriorated and his screams became desperate, a nurse told her to wheel him around.
‘She came to me in the side room of the children’s ward with a sit-up buggy and said: “Can you wheel him round a bit? He’s a bit loud”.
'I was so shocked but told her he was so ill he couldn't sit up or even hold his head up. It was such a dreadful thing to say. Just hours later Bobby died.’
Distraught: Bobby's mother Jane Hooks (pictured this week with her partner Craig Bushell) said hospital doctors in Doncaster 'arrogantly' dismissed her concerns that her son was suffering from meningitis.
The tragedy unfolded on August 12, 2007 when Bobby became ill at home near Doncaster.
His mother contacted an NHS out-of-hours service and took him to a local surgery where her own GP examined him at around 4.40pm.
'In desperation I grabbed a female doctor by the arm. She said: "Your son is very, very ill"'
Jane Hooks, Bobby Bushell's mother
Although he did not diagnose meningitis, the GP advised Miss Hooks and her partner Craig Bushell to take Bobby to Doncaster Royal Infirmary.
They arrived at around 5.20pm and he was seen by a senior house doctor.
Despite the little boy having three non-blanching rashes on his leg and chest – a classic meningitis symptom – the doctor decided only to monitor his condition.
Failings: The tragedy unfolded when Bobby (pictured left and right in 2006) became ill at home near Doncaster.
Tragic: Bobby is pictured (left) at Christmas in 2006 and (right) with a cake on his first birthday on July 14, 2007
Miss Hooks said a second doctor, a registrar, saw Bobby at around 6.45pm and despite the rash spreading on four different areas, also failed to diagnose meningitis.
'The treatment by staff at the hospital was nothing short of disgraceful and the doctors arrogantly waved away my fears my little boy was suffering from meningitis – not once, but twice'
Jane Hooks, Bobby Bushell's mother
She said: ‘He was arrogant and dismissive. He refused to carry out a lumbar puncture which would have diagnosed meningitis.’
It took four more hours before Miss Hooks could persuade another doctor to help. ‘In desperation I grabbed a female doctor by the arm. She said: “Your son is very, very ill”.’
Bobby was then given intravenous antibiotics but it wasn't until around 3am that a consultant finally examined him. Moves began to transfer him to Sheffield Children’s Hospital but it was too late and he died at 6.50am on August 13.
Baby: Bobby is seen (left) in September 2006 and (right) with Mr Bushell on an Isle of Wight holiday in June 2007
After birth: Miss Hooks and Mr Bushell are pictured at Royal Doncaster Hospital in July 2006 with their newborn son Bobby. The 13-month-old boy died at 6.50am on August 13, 2007
The family sued the Trust but it refused to admit liability and fought the claim all the way to the courts.
'Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust denied liability and made his parents endure a five-year struggle to achieve justice for their little boy'
Helen Budge, from law firm Pannone
Last month a judge dismissed the hospital’s defence and found in favour of the family at Sheffield County Court. They received a five-figure payout.
Helen Budge from Manchester law firm Pannone said: ‘Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust denied liability and made his parents endure a five-year struggle to achieve justice for their little boy. It is to be hoped that the Trust has learnt lessons from this tragic episode.’
Sewa Singh, medical director at the Trust, said: ‘We offer our deepest sympathies and apologies to Miss Hooks, Mr Bushell and their families for any shortcomings in the care provided to Bobby.’
Culled from The Daily Mail UK.
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