Premature baby girl died aged just 19 days ‘after a hospital denied her life-saving treatment because it was too expensive’
17/10/16 Daily Mail
A grieving father says his dying baby daughter was denied a potentially life-saving test because it was too ‘expensive’.
After being born prematurely at 25 weeks, Summer Palmer lost her short life 19 days later.
Her parents, Simon Palmer and Lisa Standen, say the blood infection she picked up was not treated, and further tests to identify the disease were not carried out because they were costly.
They are now demanding answers from Medway Maritime Hospital, in Kent, who looked after Summer in the final days of her life.
Health chiefs at the hospital say a full review will be being carried out.
Mr Palmer, who has taken advice from lawyers, said: 'I feel very angry.
'We’ve been told the tests were too expensive. A consultant said that in front of both of us.
'They’re putting a price on a life, and that’s not right.'
Summer was born at King’s College Hospital in London after Miss Standen went into premature labour.
Mr Palmer, 36, said because Summer was premature they expected some health problems but nine days after she was born, weighing just under 2lb, she was well enough to be transferred to Medway to be closer to home.
Miss Standen noticed bruising on Summer’s feet at King’s, but she was told it was because she was premature and her feet had been rubbing on the bed.
But a test carried out at Medway on September 21 revealed she had neonatal sepsis, a blood infection.
The parents, who held their baby for only a few precious moments, said they were told such infections were generally monitored on a 48-hour basis.
But they claim tests, which check how fast the infection spreads, were not done and Summer died on September 25, at 19 days old.
Mr Palmer, from Snodland, Kent, said: 'On the 21st, they happened to randomly do a test. They’d had their suspicions I guess. Summer had a high reading. But they didn’t treat her, they did nothing. It should be treated within 24 hours. And further tests should be carried out 48 hours later.
'On the day she passed away they did another test and the reading was really high.
'We’re finding out more and more. It’s coming down to medical neglect.
'We want answers and for them to admit they were wrong.
'The hospital say they are going to investigate internally. But we also want to raise awareness of neonatal sepsis.
'There needs to be more training, so nurses know the symptoms and it can be picked up.
'If they catch it in time it can be treated, with antibiotics.'
The post-mortem examination results will not be available for another six weeks but the couple, who have another three children, are now in the process of arranging Summer’s funeral.
Karen McIntyre, deputy director of nursing (Women and Children’s Directorate) said: 'Naturally, we are extremely concerned to hear of the issues that have been raised.
'We understand this is an extremely difficult and distressing time for Simon and Lisa, following the loss of their child.
'In keeping with our normal procedures concerning the death of a child, we will be conducting an urgent review to look at and carefully examine the circumstances surrounding this case.
'We have already met with Simon and Lisa to discuss their initial concerns and will be aiming to meet with them once again, upon completion of our review.
'In the meantime, we would like to pass on our sincere condolences.'
The family have set up a memorial page to Summer on Facebook in a bid to make more people aware of neonatal sepsis.