October 11th 2024.
Louise Longster lovingly described her daughter Chloe, who was only 13 years old at the time, as an exceptional human being. Sadly, Chloe's life was cut short due to medical negligence that ultimately led to her untimely death from sepsis.
According to the coroner's findings, there were several missed opportunities to save Chloe's life. Her mother had taken her to the A&E at Kettering General Hospital when she complained of severe rib pain, which had worsened over the course of a few days, accompanied by a cough and other cold-like symptoms. Despite her condition deteriorating, Chloe was only transferred to the intensive care unit and intubated, the following morning. Sadly, she passed away after 18 and a half hours in the hospital and 30 minutes of CPR during cardiac arrest.
It was later discovered that there were delays in recognizing and treating Chloe's sepsis. A screening was not conducted immediately upon her arrival at the hospital, and it took eight hours for her blood pressure to be recorded, which would have been a red flag for sepsis. Instead, doctors initially believed she had a chest infection or pneumonia, based on a chest x-ray that showed solid material in her lower left lung.
Chloe, who was usually very healthy with mild asthma, had never been admitted to the hospital before. Her family was shocked by the delays in prescribing and administering the correct antibiotics. Rachel Young, the Longster family's solicitor, stated that there were crucial and significant missed opportunities in Chloe's care, leading to her death.
In a narrative verdict, the coroner concluded that Chloe's death was contributed to by medical negligence. She stated that there were repeated missed opportunities to recognize and respond to her deteriorating condition, and that if her condition had been identified earlier, it could have been managed, ultimately altering the outcome. Chloe was a bright and kind young girl who loved dancing, gymnastics, and saw the world through a lens of kindness, according to her family.
The hospital has since apologized for their role in Chloe's death, but her family believes that there is a pervasive belief among medical staff that parents are an irritant. Louise Longster feels haunted by the fact that her daughter, who was only 13 years old, seemed to know that something was wrong and even asked her mother if she was going to die. In a statement read by the coroner, Chloe's family described her as an exceptional human being with a heart of gold, who was loved deeply by her family.
Louise recalled how Chloe enjoyed dancing and gymnastics, and apart from her mild asthma, was a very healthy child who had never been admitted to the hospital before. She felt powerless and frustrated while Chloe was in the hospital, constantly trying to get her the medication she needed. She believes that her daughter's death was a result of a pervasive belief among medical staff that parents are an irritant and that they are often wrong. Losing Chloe has been a living nightmare for her family, and they will never fully recover from the loss of their beloved daughter.
In a statement after the conclusion of the inquest, the hospital's group chief nurse expressed their deepest condolences to Chloe's family and admitted that they had failed to provide her with the care she deserved. However, they have made significant improvements in their approach to patients with sepsis and those who are not responding well to treatment. They have also increased staffing levels and improved communication with patients and their families. The hospital acknowledges that there is still more work to be done, but they are committed to ensuring that every patient receives the best possible care.
The coroner ended the inquest by addressing the family and offering her condolences for the tragic loss of Chloe. She was deeply moved by the pen portrait of Chloe that was presented by her family, which only reaffirmed what a wonderful and kind child she was. The loss of such a bright and promising young girl is truly heartbreaking.
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