06.11.18
Investigation launched into claims a Bristol NHS trust covered up death of eight-week old boy
A Bristol NHS trust has launched an investigation into claims that staff at a hospital made attempts to cover up the death of an eight-week old baby boy in 2015.
The CQC said it has written to the University Hospitals Bristol NHS FT, which is allegedly investigating its own chief executive, Robert Woolley, in regards to the death of Ben Condon, who wasn’t prescribed antibiotics until an hour before his death.
The CQC said it received a referral under the proper persons requirement and is currently looking into whether the trust is meeting its responsibilities, and that it had written to the trust to request further information in response to the referral.
The trust is undertaking its own independent investigation into the referral, which the Daily Mail has reported centres around the trust’s chief executive in September 2010.
Ben Condon suffered two cardiac arrests in 2015 whilst battling an undiagnosed bacterial infection which triggered sepsis.
The boy, whose parents were told he effectively had a ‘common cold,’ wasn’t prescribed antibiotics until an hour before his death.
Staff at Bristol Children’s Hospital were later recorded admitting the eight-week-old boy should have had the medication earlier, and the same tape caught the staff discussing deleting the conversation.
The boy’s parents, Allyn and Jenny Condon, have since led a campaign against the hospital and Mr Woolley as they believe the truth about the case was being hidden.
The father has reportedly picketed outside the hospital every day for the last 18 months after meeting doctors in July 2015 to ask why Ben had died.
The CQC doesn’t have the ability to investigate individuals, but can look at whether a trust is breaching its responsibilities through its employees.
Image credit - Condon family website
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