NHS hospital was guilty of neglect over death of nine-year-old boy from sepsis ... trends now

An NHS hospital was guilty of neglect when it sent a dying schoolboy home from hospital with painkillers, an inquest has ruled.

Dylan Cope, nine, suffered a burst appendix which led to a sepsis infection spreading right through his body.

A coroner ruled that if Dylan had been kept in hospital to have his appendix removed 'his death would have been avoided'.

His heartbroken parents Laurence and Corrine wept as they heard their son died from a gross failure of basic care.

The couple said there were 'numerous missed opportunities' to save their 'loving and unique' son.

The family GP had sent him to A&E at the Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, South Wales, with suspected appendicitis on 6 Dec 2022 after he complained of 'excruciating' pain.

But an inquest heard paediatric nurse practitioner Samantha Hayden's examination of the schoolboy was 'inadequate' and Dr Lianne Doherty did not carry out a senior review before Dylan was discharged.

Senior Gwent Coroner Caroline Saunders said: 'There were a number of individual errors which resulted in Dylan being sent home from hospital when he should have remained.

'This amounted to a gross failure of basic care.

'If there had been a senior review Dr Doherty would have noted the GP's assessment that Dylan may have had appendicitis.

'His temperature and pulse were rising - Dr Doherty would have ordered bloods, kept him in hospital to be seen by the surgical team.'

Instead Dylan went home with a leaflet on coughs and colds and his parents were advised to give him Calpol and Nurofen.

Four days later, on December 10, Dylan's condition deteriorated and he was readmitted to the Grange Hospital and transferred to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

Surgeons removed his perforated appendix but he went into cardiac arrest and died four days later when life support was withdrawn.

He died on December 14 of septic shock and multiple organ failure.

Gwent Coroner Caroline Saunders recorded a narrative verdict saying Dylan was 'erroneously discharged.'

She said: 'His condition warranted further observation and assessment.

'The effects of sepsis proved overwhelming. Dylan's death would have been avoided if he had not been erroneously discharged from the Grange University Hospital.

'His death was contributed to by neglect.'

In her summing up the coroner said the failure of Dylan to receive a senior review was due to a misunderstanding, not a system failure.

She praised the couple for their 'extreme bravery' in attending all five days of the hearing in Newport.

Dylan loved playing with Lego and Rubik's cubes and was looking forward to hitting 'double digits' on his 10th birthday

His father Laurence Cope, said he was 'loving, feisty and sensitive' and nothing delighted him more than hearing Alexa say 'free hugs available in the lounge' when he would eagerly run to get one from a member of the family.

Mr Cope said none of the medics at the Grange Hospital identified themselves or gave their medical qualifications when they examined his son on 6 December 2022.

The father-of-three told the inquest in a written statement that he assumed Dylan was seen by a surgeon. He said: 'He came across as senior in his role and was calm and confident in his demeanour.

'Although calm, casual, relaxed and confident he remained professional as though he was seeing me and Dylan in a professional capacity. He seemed very sure of himself.'

Mr Cope said the doctor, who was in scrubs and a facemask, was in his 30s to 40s, slim to average build, tall and with a slight 'foreign' accent.

The medic told Mr Cope it was 'highly unlikely' Dylan's abdominal pains were connected to his appendix but he could not remember him physically examining his poorly son.

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There was 'miscommunication' at NHS hospital when boy, nine, was sent home with painkillers days before he died of sepsis, inquest hears

The inquest, in Newport,

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