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NHS 111 'missed chances to save sepsis baby William Mead' NHS 111 'missed chances to save sepsis baby William Mead'
(about 5 hours later)
The NHS out-of-hours phone-line missed an opportunity to save the life of a baby who died from blood poisoning following a chest infection, a damning report has said. Doubts have been raised about whether England's NHS out-of-hours helpline is able to identify serious illnesses in children, after a baby died of blood poisoning following a chest infection.
The NHS England investigation concluded that 12-month-old William Mead's death could have been avoided if NHS 111 call handlers had recognised how ill he was. NHS 111 call handlers are not medically trained, and a report on William Mead's death from sepsis in 2014 said he might have been saved if they had realised the seriousness of his condition.
Instead, they stuck to a script of questions they had been trained to ask. The NHS England report said GPs had also failed to diagnose him.
The report offers far-reaching lessons to be learned from the case. It urged better recognition of sepsis.
Among these is better recognition by GPs of the signs and symptoms of blood poisoning, also known as septicaemia. But it said that if a medic had taken the final phone call, instead of an NHS 111 adviser using a computer system, they probably would have realised William's "cries as a child in distress" meant he needed urgent medical attention.
If a medic had taken the final phone call, instead of an NHS 111 adviser using a computer box-ticking system, they probably would have realised William's "cries as a child in distress" meant he needed urgent medical attention, the report says.
Tragic caseTragic case
William died on 14 December 2014. Twelve-month-old William died on 14 December 2014.
At that time, the cause of death was put down to natural causes, but a coroner's inquest in June 2015 found he had died from treatable septicaemia, caused by a long-standing chest infection. At that time, the cause of death was put down to natural causes, but a coroner's inquest in June 2015 found he had died from treatable blood poisoning - known as septicaemia - caused by a long-standing chest infection.
William's mother, Melissa, had taken him to the GP numerous times in the months leading up to his death.William's mother, Melissa, had taken him to the GP numerous times in the months leading up to his death.
The report details the opportunities missed to save William's life. It found:The report details the opportunities missed to save William's life. It found:
"Had any of these different courses of action been taken, William would probably have survived," the report said."Had any of these different courses of action been taken, William would probably have survived," the report said.
It said call advisers needed to be trained to spot when there was a need to probe further and when to escalate cases.It said call advisers needed to be trained to spot when there was a need to probe further and when to escalate cases.
It also called for better recognition by GPs of the signs and symptoms of septicaemia.
Lindsey Scott, director of nursing with NHS England in the South West, said: "Everyone involved in this report is determined to make sure lessons are learned from William's death, so other families don't have to go through the same trauma.Lindsey Scott, director of nursing with NHS England in the South West, said: "Everyone involved in this report is determined to make sure lessons are learned from William's death, so other families don't have to go through the same trauma.
"None of this detracts from our profound regret at the loss of William. For that loss, on behalf of all NHS organisations involved, I would like to apologise publicly to Mr and Mrs Mead.""None of this detracts from our profound regret at the loss of William. For that loss, on behalf of all NHS organisations involved, I would like to apologise publicly to Mr and Mrs Mead."
Melissa Mead said: "We are glad the report has shown up there were failures and missed opportunities. We hope from the recommendations made this never happens again.Melissa Mead said: "We are glad the report has shown up there were failures and missed opportunities. We hope from the recommendations made this never happens again.
"We fought the hardest battle to get answers, knowing we had already lost William.""We fought the hardest battle to get answers, knowing we had already lost William."