Expert Neonatal lawyer
Leading Manchester Neonatal lawyer, Stephanie Forman, today commented on the case of baby Dylan Endsor who had been administered 10 times the dose of recommended antibiotics at Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, saying it was avoidable and inexcusable.
Stephanie, from Manchester law firm Irwin Mitchell, who has dealt with many cases like this said: "This case illustrates a recurrent problem in the health service today, of the failure to implement adequate risk management measures in relation to note keeping including ensuring legible handwriting."
Continuing she said: "It highlights the frequent problem of health service professionals failing to question/query colleagues recommendations which are at odds with current practise - in this case I anticipate that the dosage was at odds with a low weight infant.
"It illustrates the grave and possibly fatal implications for patients and their families if lessons are not learned allowing these types of mistakes to continue."
Hospital in Baby overdose negligence
The parents of newborn Dylan Endsor believe he was prescribed 10 times the recommended dose of antibiotics at Stepping Hill to treat a suspected kidney infection. His parents were given a prescription containing a daily dosage of 8.30ml of antibiotics when they took their son home on November 27, the day after he was born.
The couple became concerned when Dylan was rapidly losing weight, vomiting and refusing food and returned to the hospital where they questioned the effects of his medication. It was here that a doctor confirmed that their son should in fact only have been receiving 0.8ml of the drugs a day.
Baby Dylan is now being monitored at Stepping Hill for illnesses including bronchitis and is being fed through a tube. He is expected to remain there for another week although doctors say his condition is not critical.
The Trust is undertaking an investigation into the case.