Hospital sent my injured boy home

NECK injury . . . Jake de la Haye

THE concerned mother of a three-year-old boy has criticised the Royal Oldham Hospital after doctors failed to spot a serious neck injury and sent him home without treatment.

Jake de la Haye suffered an injury at his home in Shaw when his older brother jumped on his back and he fell to the floor.

Worries

Despite originally appearing to be OK, the following morning when Jake woke he was unable to move his head.

His mum Gemma de la Haye said: "He was drooling and walking awkwardly so I took him to a GP and was told it was probably due to the way he had slept and we were sent home.

"But he didn't improve over the next few days. He seemed sleepy and kept bumping into things so I decided to take him to the hospital."

Gemma added that despite raising concerns about the accident at home with doctors, her worries were dismissed and Jake was sent home without treatment.

It was only on the family's second visit to the A&E department a week later when Gemma urged a consultant to examine Jake and asked why his symptoms were getting worse that he was admitted and a CT scan was ordered.

The scan showed that the accident had caused a rotation in his C1 and C2 vertebrae, meaning Jake would need to see a specialist and have a brace to allow the neck to heal as any further damage could have serious implications.

Gemma (32) added: "The doctor told me that as it was a neck injury, his neck should not have been moved before scans could take place but five doctors had moved his head over the past two visits.

"Not one of them thought his accident could have caused the injury and I was given a variety of possible causes for his stiff neck, with one even telling me that it could be tonsillitis."

Jake, who has also been diagnosed with autism, was then transferred to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and, despite being noted as needing transfer by paramedics, the family were sent in a private hire taxi.

Gemma, a married mother-of-three, said: "I had asked if I could take Jake myself but I wasn't allowed due to hospital policy saying it wasn't the safest way.

"Jake was put in the taxi with no nurse, no paramedic and using no child car seat, all while wearing a neck brace which was too big for him.

"Unknown vehicles cause Jake a lot of added stress and he tries to escape from them which only added to the stress he had experienced with hospitals and his neck pain.

"I find it disgusting that they put Jake at risk of further damage to his neck and did not consider his medical history or notes when deciding how to transfer him."

Once the family arrived at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Jake was given further tests and needed to be sedated.

Gemma, a carer, added: "A doctor discussed the serious side effects of the drug as it could cause Jake's airway to close and, as Jake has severe asthma, the hospital wanted to ensure emergency equipment and staff were there throughout the procedure.

"Although this caused a delay as we had to wait for staff to be free I was grateful that Jake's safety was the main priority.

"It frightened me that Jake had been sedated for his CT scan at Oldham but they failed to inform me about the serious side effects and went ahead without additional support being in place.

"It's scary to think about what could have happened that evening."

Gemma also raised concerns that Jake was not given a name band during his entire stay at the Royal Oldham and has raised a formal complaint with the hospital about her son's experience.

She said: "I have asked for a full investigation to be done in the hope that other children are not treated in this way.

"It was only from me returning several times to see medical staff and refusing to leave until we had answers that investigations into the injury was done.

"Jake was discharged from hospital two weeks after his accident but the delay was not necessary had they listened to the parents in the first place.

"My message to other parents is to go with their instinct.

"You know when their is something wrong with your child and I don't want to think about what could have happened to him if I hadn't fought for him to be checked out fully.

"I hope the Royal Oldham Hospital think about the points I have raised with them and put steps in place to give better care to children in the future."

A spokesman for The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed that the hospital had received a formal complaint from the family and that an internal investigation will be carried out.

They added: "We would like to offer our sincere apologies to Jake's family for any distress caused after his care and discharge from the Royal Oldham Hospital earlier this month.

"The ward manager has spoken with Jake's mum and we have written to the family today to acknowledge receipt of their official complaint.

"We have already spoken with the staff involved in Jake's discharge from hospital, and the wider team, to ensure that they adhere to safe discharge guidelines.

"We will also undertake an internal investigation into this matter and share the results with Jake's family."

THE incident comes just days after a family revealed how a dying grandmother was released from the Royal Oldham Hospital's intensive care unit with maggots in an open wound.

Sylvia Kennedy, from New Moston, was admitted to have an emergency amputation after developing a clot in one of her legs in June, last year, however failed to recover from the surgery.

The mum-of-five was transferred to Dr Kershaw's Hospice on an end of life pathway and on admission, hospice staff found the maggots beneath a dressing on Sylvia's foot.

The family immediately contacted staff at the Royal Oldham Hospital and an investigation was launched into the incident.

Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust apologised to the family and said they had learned lessons from the case.

Sylvia died at the hospice on July 9, 2015, aged 72.