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| Kettering Hospital ward accused of traumatising children may close | Kettering Hospital ward accused of traumatising children may close |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Archie became extremely ill on Skylark ward at Kettering General Hospital in November | Archie became extremely ill on Skylark ward at Kettering General Hospital in November |
| Children's services could be forced to close at a hospital that is accused of leaving young patients traumatised and sick through poor care. | Children's services could be forced to close at a hospital that is accused of leaving young patients traumatised and sick through poor care. |
| The care regulator said it had taken action to "ensure people are safe" on Skylark ward at Kettering General Hospital (KGH) in Northamptonshire. | The care regulator said it had taken action to "ensure people are safe" on Skylark ward at Kettering General Hospital (KGH) in Northamptonshire. |
| Thirteen parents with serious concerns after their children died or became seriously ill have spoken to the BBC. | Thirteen parents with serious concerns after their children died or became seriously ill have spoken to the BBC. |
| The hospital said it was "very sorry" to families who felt let down. | The hospital said it was "very sorry" to families who felt let down. |
| A BBC Look East investigation has heard allegations spanning more than 20 years about the treatment of patients on Skylark ward, a 26-bed children's unit. | A BBC Look East investigation has heard allegations spanning more than 20 years about the treatment of patients on Skylark ward, a 26-bed children's unit. |
| The claims include repeated failures to diagnose life-threatening illnesses and the regular discharge of patients who require urgent care. | The claims include repeated failures to diagnose life-threatening illnesses and the regular discharge of patients who require urgent care. |
| Skylark came under scrutiny in 2019 after an inquest found five major errors led to the death of baby Jorgie Stanton-Watts. | Skylark came under scrutiny in 2019 after an inquest found five major errors led to the death of baby Jorgie Stanton-Watts. |
| The hospital's trust said it implemented a series of changes as a result, including "significant extra training". | The hospital's trust said it implemented a series of changes as a result, including "significant extra training". |
| However, the BBC has since discovered: | However, the BBC has since discovered: |
| An independent report found staff left a 12-year-old boy - who died at KGH in December 2019 - for four hours suffering seizures, and suggests little effort was made to obtain critical care support. | An independent report found staff left a 12-year-old boy - who died at KGH in December 2019 - for four hours suffering seizures, and suggests little effort was made to obtain critical care support. |
| In April 2019, nurses allegedly dragged a "traumatised" four-year-old girl down a corridor in agony, insisting that she could walk. Medics are accused of refusing to carry out an MRI scan, which would have detected a dangerous cyst on her spine. | In April 2019, nurses allegedly dragged a "traumatised" four-year-old girl down a corridor in agony, insisting that she could walk. Medics are accused of refusing to carry out an MRI scan, which would have detected a dangerous cyst on her spine. |
| Mothers claim to have been threatened with safeguarding referrals, with one stating a referral was made against her after she complained her son was struggling to breathe, while another likened it to blackmail. | Mothers claim to have been threatened with safeguarding referrals, with one stating a referral was made against her after she complained her son was struggling to breathe, while another likened it to blackmail. |
| Michaela Stevens says she felt disempowered as a parent | Michaela Stevens says she felt disempowered as a parent |
| Michaela Stevens has complained about the treatment of her son Archie, who has suffered with croup - a common infection that affects children's airways from birth. | Michaela Stevens has complained about the treatment of her son Archie, who has suffered with croup - a common infection that affects children's airways from birth. |
| In November, when 17 months old, he was admitted to Skylark after a spell in the emergency department in respiratory distress, said 33-year-old Ms Stevens. | In November, when 17 months old, he was admitted to Skylark after a spell in the emergency department in respiratory distress, said 33-year-old Ms Stevens. |
| She said Archie took a bad turn and was struggling to breathe, but she was told to "calm down" when she raised the alarm. | She said Archie took a bad turn and was struggling to breathe, but she was told to "calm down" when she raised the alarm. |
| "They refused to check him... they kept saying, 'it's viral, he'll be fine by tomorrow'. I don't think anyone had the experience to know what to do. | "They refused to check him... they kept saying, 'it's viral, he'll be fine by tomorrow'. I don't think anyone had the experience to know what to do. |
| "I asked six people to check for sepsis and still nothing was done." | "I asked six people to check for sepsis and still nothing was done." |
| Eventually Archie was started on a sepsis pathway and the following day he was diagnosed with invasive group A Strep, a severe infection. | Eventually Archie was started on a sepsis pathway and the following day he was diagnosed with invasive group A Strep, a severe infection. |
| But Michaela said doctors struggled to keep him cannulated - when a tube is inserted into a vein for fluids or drugs - and after four days on intravenous antibiotics, Archie was discharged. | But Michaela said doctors struggled to keep him cannulated - when a tube is inserted into a vein for fluids or drugs - and after four days on intravenous antibiotics, Archie was discharged. |
| Ms Stevens said the next day she took her son to the GP, who called Skylark because he felt hot, but they were not concerned about him. | Ms Stevens said the next day she took her son to the GP, who called Skylark because he felt hot, but they were not concerned about him. |
| So she decided to drive him to Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, where staff "immediately started intravenous fluids and antibiotics". | So she decided to drive him to Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, where staff "immediately started intravenous fluids and antibiotics". |
| An X-ray at Addenbrooke's showed part of Archie's lung had collapsed due to infection | An X-ray at Addenbrooke's showed part of Archie's lung had collapsed due to infection |
| Archie was admitted on to a ward that night and remained in hospital for two weeks, having lost 500g (1.1lbs) on Skylark. | Archie was admitted on to a ward that night and remained in hospital for two weeks, having lost 500g (1.1lbs) on Skylark. |
| "Archie hadn't eaten for a week and they hadn't put a drip into that boy. I had him christened because I was worried he was going to die," said Ms Stevens. | "Archie hadn't eaten for a week and they hadn't put a drip into that boy. I had him christened because I was worried he was going to die," said Ms Stevens. |
| "I think Archie's quite lucky to be alive. At Skylark ward we were let down at every opportunity and felt completely disempowered as parents." | "I think Archie's quite lucky to be alive. At Skylark ward we were let down at every opportunity and felt completely disempowered as parents." |
| She raised her concerns with the CQC in late November. | She raised her concerns with the CQC in late November. |
| Skylark ward is pictured on the second floor at Kettering General | Skylark ward is pictured on the second floor at Kettering General |
| The next month, following "concerns about the safety and quality of care provided", the CQC carried out a focused inspection of KGH's children's services and the paediatric emergency department. | The next month, following "concerns about the safety and quality of care provided", the CQC carried out a focused inspection of KGH's children's services and the paediatric emergency department. |
| "Inspectors took enforcement action to ensure people were safe and to give the trust the opportunity to make the necessary improvements," a spokeswoman added. | "Inspectors took enforcement action to ensure people were safe and to give the trust the opportunity to make the necessary improvements," a spokeswoman added. |
| The KGH February board meeting papers stated there was a "significant risk that the trust has the potential to lose its paediatric services, if it fails to make the improvements required and give the assurances needed to keep children safe". | The KGH February board meeting papers stated there was a "significant risk that the trust has the potential to lose its paediatric services, if it fails to make the improvements required and give the assurances needed to keep children safe". |
| Clare Lester has become her son's carer after he suffered signs of brain damage | Clare Lester has become her son's carer after he suffered signs of brain damage |
| Later this year, the hospital is expected to pay out a multimillion-pound financial settlement to Clare Lester's son Luke, after his treatment in 2015. | Later this year, the hospital is expected to pay out a multimillion-pound financial settlement to Clare Lester's son Luke, after his treatment in 2015. |
| Mrs Lester took her then three-year-old to KGH suspecting a serious chest infection. | Mrs Lester took her then three-year-old to KGH suspecting a serious chest infection. |
| But for 24 hours, staff neglected to test his blood or urine when he was in fact in need of urgent treatment for sepsis, she said. | But for 24 hours, staff neglected to test his blood or urine when he was in fact in need of urgent treatment for sepsis, she said. |
| By the time he was seen by a consultant he was in septic shock, and Mrs Lester said she later learned staff "didn't have the things they needed to sedate and ventilate" her son. | By the time he was seen by a consultant he was in septic shock, and Mrs Lester said she later learned staff "didn't have the things they needed to sedate and ventilate" her son. |
| He was transferred to Leicester Royal Infirmary but suffered a cardiac arrest en route and was clinically dead for 18 minutes. | He was transferred to Leicester Royal Infirmary but suffered a cardiac arrest en route and was clinically dead for 18 minutes. |
| Luke went into septic shock while being treated at Skylark ward | Luke went into septic shock while being treated at Skylark ward |
| Mrs Lester was given a few seconds to see him in the intensive care unit. | Mrs Lester was given a few seconds to see him in the intensive care unit. |
| "I just whispered in his ear, 'You know you do as mummy tells you, well you need to fight.' And he did." | "I just whispered in his ear, 'You know you do as mummy tells you, well you need to fight.' And he did." |
| Luke survived, but has lasting signs of minor brain damage and he lost his right leg through the knee and his left foot. | Luke survived, but has lasting signs of minor brain damage and he lost his right leg through the knee and his left foot. |
| An internal review found failures and KGH said lessons would be learned, but Mrs Lester said: "Even now I'm still angry. I don't think I ever won't be. | An internal review found failures and KGH said lessons would be learned, but Mrs Lester said: "Even now I'm still angry. I don't think I ever won't be. |
| "I've had counselling. But I keep going back to 'this should never have happened'." | "I've had counselling. But I keep going back to 'this should never have happened'." |
| In response to the BBC investigation, KGH's director of nursing, Jayne Skippen, said: "To any families who feel we did not deliver the best care we could have done, I'm very sorry. | In response to the BBC investigation, KGH's director of nursing, Jayne Skippen, said: "To any families who feel we did not deliver the best care we could have done, I'm very sorry. |
| "We know there are some areas we need to improve on and we are working really hard to improve those areas. | "We know there are some areas we need to improve on and we are working really hard to improve those areas. |
| She said KGH had made changes, including introducing a larger paediatric emergency department, adding: "We are really committed to making this a better pathway for all of our children."Ms Skippen added the hospital had responded to the CQC's enforcement notices "comprehensively" and she was confident the children's services would not be closed. | She said KGH had made changes, including introducing a larger paediatric emergency department, adding: "We are really committed to making this a better pathway for all of our children."Ms Skippen added the hospital had responded to the CQC's enforcement notices "comprehensively" and she was confident the children's services would not be closed. |
| Do you have more information about this story? | Do you have more information about this story? |
| You can reach Jon directly and securely through encrypted messaging app Signal on: +44 07890 348918 or by email at jon.ironmonger@bbc.co.uk | You can reach Jon directly and securely through encrypted messaging app Signal on: +44 07890 348918 or by email at jon.ironmonger@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Addenbrooke’s Hospital | Addenbrooke’s Hospital |
| Kettering | Kettering |
| Care Quality Commission | Care Quality Commission |
| Child health | Child health |