There are no excuses for the "series of failures" in the care of a five-year-old boy who died a week after he was sent home from hospital, the Health Secretary has said.
Yusuf Mahmud Nazir died on November 23, 2022, eight days after he was seen at Rotherham Hospital and sent home with antibiotics. Wes Streeting met Yusuf's family on Monday after a new investigation into his death was announced last week.
"The family have always said they were told 'there are no beds and not enough doctors' in the emergency department,"
The 2023 report concluded that "the antibiotics prescribed were appropriate and an admission was not clinically required" and that "a bed would have been found" if an admission had been deemed necessary.
"Speaking after the meeting at the Department of Health, Mr Streeting said the family had been 'failed in the most appalling and tragic way possible'. "
The Health Secretary said that it was "absolutely clear" that the family "did not have confidence that all of their questions had been answered".
"I don't think even in the context of an NHS under immense pressures that can explain or excuse the series of failures in Yusuf's care,"
Mr Streeting added that it was crucial the new investigation left "no stone unturned" and its recommendations were actioned. He emphasized providing answers to ensure other children will be safer due to lessons learned from Yusuf's case.
"We can't bring Yusuf back, but we can provide families with answers they deserve."
Speaking outside the Department of Health, Yusuf's uncle, Zaheer Ahmed, described previous reports as missing critical evidence. He highlighted his nephew’s health saying:
"He was very active. Not ill... absolutely fit and fine."
Mr Ahmed added confidence in this new investigation thanks to Government involvement.
- Acknowledged concerns need addressing by listening to families.
- Emphasized parental intuition about their child's health condition.
The previous report detailed how Yusuf visited his GP with a sore throat on November 15, receiving antibiotics prescribed by an advanced nurse practitioner. Later taken to Rotherham Hospital Urgent & Emergency Care Centre (UECC), he experienced a six-hour wait before being diagnosed with severe tonsillitis and discharged with extended antibiotics. Two days later further antibiotics were administered for potential chest infection concerns, prompting ambulance transport to Sheffield Children's Hospital due to escalating worries. Admitted into intensive care on November 21st; unfortunately suffered multiple organ failure leading up until cardiac arrest episodes proved fatal.