A little boy with Down’s sydrome who died from bronchial pneumonia should have been moved to a specialist unit, an inquest has heard.
Krishan Saujani was three and-a-half when he died in November 2015 after originally being diagnosed with vomiting and diarrhoea.
His inquest comes four years after the death of six-year-old Jack Adcock – who also had Down’s syndrome – at the same hospital.
Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, who was caring for the little boy with sepsis, was struck off by the High Court after being convicted of gross negligence manslaughter for Jack’s death.
Krishan Saujani was three and-a-half when he died in November 2015 after originally being diagnosed with vomiting and diarrhoea
There was outcry as myriad systematic failures were revealed to have contributed to the six-year-old’s death — from IT issues to chronic understaffing.
Speaking at Kirshan’s inquest at Leicester Coroner’s Court yesterday, the head of paediatric services, Dr Samantha Jones, apologised for his death.
She said: ‘Krishan should have moved through the department swithin the hour and preferably sooner if possible.
‘I just want to say we are as a department terribly, terribly sorry.’
Like Jack, Krishan had a greater vulnerability to infections because of his condition.
The solicitors for Krishan’s family said there were parallels with the Jack Adcock case in 2011, which involved numerous failings by medical staff and resulted in two prosecutions and a doctor and a nurse being struck off.
It comes after Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba (left), who was caring for six-year-old Jack Adcock at the same hospital, was struck off by the High Court after being convicted of gross negligence manslaughter for Jack’s death
At Leicester Town Hall yesterday, two doctors – Krishan’s family GP and the first doctor to treat him at Leicester Royal Infirmary – gave evidence about how he came to die of a chest infection while under medical care.
Dr Jay Banerjee, who has worked at the children’s emergency department for 12 years, told the inquest it was always clear to him Krishan was seriously ill.
He said: ‘I realised he was critically unwell and he was getting to the stage where my clinical ability to manage him safely — I needed some specialist care.
‘Things were unravelling in a way that was very challenging and complex.’
he day after being admitted to the infirmary, Krishan died from bronchopneumonia – the inflammation of the lungs caused by infection
He went on to describe how he put out an urgent call and intensive care doctors came to his assistance and later took over care of the youngster in the hours before his death on November 8, 2015.
He said that while Krishan had several symptoms, including a fever and dehydration, it was hard to pin down where the infection causing the problem was.
Various tests were carried out on Krishan, while drugs were used to bring down his temperature and fluids were given that seemed to successfully treat the dehydration.
Dr Banerjee said: ‘As I was examining him I was looking for the source of infection.
‘The test results increased the degree of uncertainty.
‘It was very obvious to me it was a challenging situation.
‘I had a child here who was clearly unwell.’
The day after being admitted to the infirmary, Krishan died from bronchopneumonia – the inflammation of the lungs caused by infection.
The inquest also heard from GP Dr George Leather who explained his dealings with Krishan at Groby Road Medical Centre in Leicester on November 5, 2015, the day before he was admitted to hospital.
He said: ‘I was asked to take a telephone call and spoke to one of the parents.
‘Krishan had a fever and difficulty breathing that started overnight and he also had a cough.
‘I was aware he was known to have Down’s syndrome.
Shalin and Bhavini Saujani took their son to the surgery where Dr Leather told them it was likely a respiratory tract infection and that they should monitor him closely
‘I arranged to have the child seen in the surgery that morning.’
An hour later Shalin and Bhavini Saujani took their son to the surgery where Dr Leather told them it was likely a respiratory tract infection and that they should monitor him closely.
They were told to give him fluids, paracetamol and ibuprofen.
The following day his condition deteriorated and paramedics attended the Saujani home and took Krishan to hospital at 6.15pm.
In a statement ahead of the inquest, the family’s lawyers, Wilson Browne Solicitors, said: ‘The events leading up to Krishan’s death have already been investigated by the Crown Prosecution Service who concluded that there was no case to answer in respect of a criminal prosecution.
‘We are fully aware of the case involving Jack Adcock also treated at Leicester Royal Infirmary and who died following a cardiac arrest following a delay in diagnosing and treating sepsis.
‘Whilst the details in this case are different there are similarities.’
The inquest continues.