Misdiagnosis of Sepsis Resulted in Child's Death
James Philliskirk, a 16-month old boy, tragically lost his life due to a misdiagnosis of sepsis as chicken pox. Despite showing alarming symptoms, James was twice misdiagnosed with chicken pox at Sheffield Children's Hospital, resulting in his death. Prior to this, James had also been misdiagnosed with chicken pox.
Expressing their grief and frustration, Helen and Daniel, James's parents, are pursuing change to prevent such medical errors happening again. "We want them to do better. We want them to learn from what has been said and make sure this never happens again," stated Helen.
Parents Demand Improvement
James fell sick with sepsis, triggered by a severe Group A Strep skin infection, in May 2022. Despite successive visits to Sheffield Children's Hospital and obvious deterioration of James's conditions, hospital staff failed to identify sepsis and instead continued the misdiagnosis of chicken pox. The medical team overlooked that James had already suffered from chicken pox, which should have triggered a senior review.
Helen voiced her reaction: "The facts are there now, it's all in the prevention of further deaths report that's been published this week."
Failings and Neglect Identified by Coroner
The Coroner's report underscored hospital staff’s ignorance of guidelines by not escalating James's case despite his condition worsening. The jury has determined neglect contributed to James's death.
Areas of concern highlighted in the Coronerr's report include junior staff not realising when to escalate concerns, confirmation bias affecting clinical reviews and a lack of proper assessment of existing skin lesions in chicken pox.
Helen continues to share her son's case despite its emotional cost, in the hope of compelling changes from the hospital. "We do there is a cost to our mental health, but for us, we feel that the benefits are far greater than that cost," she says.
Recent Findings Echo Similar Concerns
An NHS Ombudsman report published recently warns that hospital failings are leading to unnecessary sepsis deaths. Errors identified echo the experiences of James's parents. They include delays in diagnosing and treating sepsis, poor communication between healthcare staff, sub-standard record-keeping, and missed opportunities for follow-up care.
An NHS England spokesperson acknowledged the need for further improvements, stating, "We know there is more work to be done and patients and families are able to escalate care for hospital patients."