Lila was sent home around 2 a.m. on December 28, with a prescription for antibiotics and throat spray. But tragedy struck just hours later. When her mother went to check on her that morning, Lila was found unresponsive in bed. Despite desperate attempts to save her, she could not be revived.
Girl, 5, dies after being sent home from hospital
An inquest held in June 2024 found that Lila’s death could have been prevented. The jury concluded that the mistakes made during her care were “contributed to by neglect.” The investigation revealed that crucial medical information was lost because the hospital used two different systems to record patient data, one digital and one on paper.
According to findings, the notes made during Lila’s visit to the emergency department were recorded electronically. But when she was moved to the pediatric A&E unit, the information was instead written down on paper. A key note from an advanced nurse, who had raised concerns about meningitis, never reached the doctor in charge. This failure meant that an important warning was completely missed.
Wider risks across U.K. hospitals
Coroner Chris Morris, who led the inquiry, warned that this wasn’t an isolated issue. He raised serious concerns about how vital patient information could be lost when hospitals use a mix of digital and paper systems. In his official report to the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, he wrote that such communication gaps could lead to further tragedies if not urgently addressed.
Morris urged the government to ensure hospitals across the U.K. adopt a unified system so that medical records can be shared easily and accurately between departments and doctors.Government response sparks anger
Following the coroner’s warning, the Minister of State for Secondary Care, Karin Smyth, responded on behalf of the Health Department. However, Rachael Mincherton called the government’s reply “copy and paste,” saying it failed to deal with the real problems that led to her daughter’s death.
The mother pointed out that the government’s letter spoke broadly about healthcare improvements and mentioned funding for digital systems but did not explain what was being done specifically for children’s care or to fix communication gaps like those at Tameside Hospital. She said the response felt general and disconnected from the reality of what happened.
In response, the Department of Health and Social Care reiterated its commitment to improving hospital record systems. Officials said that £1.9 billion had been invested in digital transformation, including electronic patient records (EPR), which are being rolled out nationwide.