Bosses at Birmingham Children’s Hospital are reviewing a number of cases
The sudden and unexpected deaths of three children were identified at a hospital where a nurse was arrested on suspicion of poisoning, it was claimed today.
The NHS trust running Birmingham Children’s Hospital – home to Britain’s largest paediatric intensive care unit – has been running a review into cases of patients being treated there from January 2022.
Findings, which include the sudden and unexpected deaths of three children, have since been passed to police, the Times reports.
In one case in May last year, health staff are said to have raised concerns when a child’s condition rapidly deteriorated, before being pronounced dead the following day.
A 28-year-old nurse was arrested by West Midlands Police on suspicion of administering a poison with intent to endanger life.
She has since been suspended by the trust, and the industry regulator, meaning she is unable to work as a nurse elsewhere.
The families of patients whose cases are being reviewed have also been told of the findings.
Dr Fiona Reynolds, chief medical officer at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘In May 2022, a child on the paediatric intensive care unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital deteriorated suddenly and unexpectedly.
’Due to the circumstances of the deterioration, the trust acted straight away.
’A member of staff was suspended from work and subsequently arrested at home. Sadly, the child later died and our thoughts remain with the family.’
In the days after the arrest, parents of children being treated at the hospital were sent a letter detailing the incident in an attempt to allay any fears for their own offsprings’ safety.
The note read: ‘An infant recently died on the paediatric intensive care unit after deteriorating quickly and unexpectedly.
‘When this happens we try to understand why this has happened and follow a set of national rules to investigate.’
Tina Turner, 38, one parent who received a letter, told the Telegraph she felt ‘shocked’ and found the situation ‘really scary’.
The nurse’s arrest was said to have sent ‘shockwaves’ around the hospital, with sources describing the probe as ‘incredibly serious’.
The revelations come against the backdrop of the case of Lucy Letby, the neonatal nurse who was convicted earlier this month of murdering seven babies and trying to kill six more at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
An investigation into Britain’s most prolific child killer of modern times has since been announced, with the Prime Minister indicating over the weekend that her ‘despicable’ crimes will be probed by a judge-led inquiry.
Rishi Sunak had previously resisted pressure to give it a statutory footing but Health Secretary Steve Barclay is understood to have now asked the Ministry of Justice for a list of appropriate senior judges available to lead the inquiry.
Letby, 33, was given a whole-life sentence last Monday, meaning she will never be released from prison.
Meanwhile, Labour has vowed it will ensure NHS managers found guilty of serious wrongdoing are disbarred under a ‘proper system of accountability’ if the party wins the next election.
The Opposition said the Government has ‘dragged its feet’ over strengthening accountability for bosses in the health service.
Calls for this have mounted in the wake of the Letby case, as whistleblowers’ concerns about the child serial killer were not addressed for months before she was finally taken off frontline duties.
Senior doctors have said hospital managers should be regulated in a similar way to doctors and nurses.
A Labour government would introduce a professional regulatory system, with professional standards and training for people running hospitals to enhance accountability and patient safety, according to the party.
A regulatory body, which Labour would consult on once in office, would have the power to suspend and exclude managers for serious misconduct.
A West Midlands Police spokesman told MailOnline last May: ‘We have arrested a 27-year-old woman in connection with the death of an infant.
‘The child sadly passed away on Thursday at hospital.
‘The woman was arrested on Thursday evening at a property in the West Midlands area on suspicion of administering poison with intent to endanger life.
‘She has been released while the investigation continues and the results of forensic tests are examined.
‘The family of the child are being supported by specially trained officers.’
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust runs the hospital, which is one of the top paediatric centres in the country and cares for 90,000 children each year.
Tags: Arrests Child Death New Trends Nurse Patient Harm
