HOSPITAL chiefs have launched an investigation after an eight-year-old boy died at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital despite living minutes away from Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital.
Ambulance crews treating Callum Cartlidge followed a protocol in place since September to not take seriously ill children to the Alex and instead went to the Royal.
But despite racing there under blue lights and sirens in a journey that only took 23 minutes, the youngster died at the hospital leaving his family devastated and demanding answers.
It is understood that the young lad fell ill last Tuesday (February 28) and was sent by his GP to Worcestershire Royal with possible tonsillitis or a stomach bug on Thursday.
He was treated and sent home but then tragically suffered a cardiac arrest on Friday afternoon.
Neal Stote, the former chairman of the Save the Alex campaign said: “An enquiry has to be held to find out how this happened but the trust had been warned countless times of something like this.
“Are they trying tell us that they didn’t have the kit or the expertise to help that child at the Alex?
“Parents would go to the moon to help their child but it’s no good if they don’t know which is the right place to take them.
“I spent 11 years trying to save that A&E department – if it’s no more than a minor injuries unit then for goodness sake front up and say it,” added Mr Stote, who admitted that when one of his own children fell ill he took her to Birmingham Children’s Hospital rather than use the Royal.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We were called to an address in Redditch at 3.26pm on Friday to reports of an eight year old boy in cardiac arrest. A rapid response vehicle arrived five minutes after the call. The paramedic immediately started life support.
“An ambulance arrived shortly afterwards. Together the three members of staff performed advanced life support. The ambulance left scene for Worcestershire Royal Hospital at 3.42pm with the crew continuing to treat the patient; it arrived at hospital 23 minutes later, at 4.05pm.
“Having reviewed the case, there is no doubt that the ambulance staff did absolutely everything possible to help the child.Our thoughts remain with his family.”
A spokesperson for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We can confirm that a patient died on Friday afternoon at Worcestershire Royal Hospital. The trust offers sincere condolences to the family.”
“As with any sudden unexpected death in childhood there will be a referral to the coroner, a post mortem and a full external SUDIC investigation as well as our own internal processes for an SI investigation.
“Until our investigations have been completed we cannot comment further.”
