May 16th 2024.
Maya Siek, a six-year-old girl, tragically passed away at Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent in December 2022. She had been brought in after collapsing and was sent home with antibiotics for suspected tonsillitis. Unfortunately, she collapsed again on her way out of the hospital and was brought back the following day. Despite efforts to save her, Maya passed away two days after she was first admitted.
The inquest into Maya's death concluded today and coroner Catherine Wood identified a number of failures in the care provided by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, who runs the hospital. These failures included not keeping Maya overnight when she was first brought in and not informing all members of the treatment team about her sepsis diagnosis. Ms. Wood noted that had these issues been handled differently, it could have potentially prevented Maya's death.
Maya's mother, Magda Wisniewska, had taken her to the hospital on December 19, 2022, after she collapsed. Doctors initially suspected tonsillitis and sent her home, but she collapsed again and was brought back the next day. This time, she was diagnosed with sepsis and influenza. However, there were failures to document the diagnosis and discuss sepsis guidelines with Maya's parents.
Throughout her time in the hospital, Maya had a persistently high heart rate and doctors at Great Ormand Street also discovered other chronic conditions, including problems with a fatty liver and a thickened heart wall. Despite these issues, there were failures to adequately monitor Maya's vital signs and contact necessary support services.
On the morning of December 21, Maya was given a dose of high-strength sodium chloride, but plans for blood scans were not carried out. Later that day, she went into cardiac arrest and despite resuscitation efforts, she passed away. The coroner determined that Maya's cause of death was heart failure, along with her other chronic conditions and influenza.
Ms. Wood acknowledged that despite the evidence presented, there are still unanswered questions and it is uncertain if earlier treatment by the hospital could have made a difference. Maya's mother expressed her disappointment and feeling of being let down by the hospital, stating that their family will never be the same without Maya. Maya's father, Rajratan Bande, urged medical professionals to listen to parents, but also recognized the work of the coroner.
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