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An independent inquiry is being launched into the death of a five-year-old boy whose family say he died of pneumonia after being sent home from hospital because there were “no beds”.
Yusuf Mahmood Nazir died on November 23 as the infection spread to his lungs and led to multiple organ failure, resulting in multiple cardiac arrests.
The boy complained of a sore throat on November 13 and his parents took him to his GP, who prescribed antibiotics.
When his condition did not improve, they took him to the emergency department of Rotherham General Hospital in South Yorkshire the next day.
The family waited for hours before Yusuf was seen but was sent home despite a doctor treating him with “the worst case of tonsillitis he had ever seen”, according to his uncle Zaheer Ahmed.
The boy was distressed, struggling to breathe and unable to swallow, his family said.
Yusuf was at home when his condition worsened and his parents called an ambulance and he was taken to Sheffield Children’s Hospital. However, his health deteriorated and he died.
Ahmed told Sky News on Saturday that he “begged and begged” to admit his nephew to Rotherham General Hospital but was told “there are no beds and not enough doctors”.
Labor MP Sarah Champion, who represents the family’s constituency in Rotherham, said the inquiry needed to find out “what went horribly wrong”.
She said: “The Nazir family have been very clear that they want no other family to suffer the death of a child in such horrific circumstances. We need to quickly find out what went so horribly wrong. I have worked with them to secure a speedy and independent investigation.
“We need to ensure that the inquiry covers primary and secondary care institutions involved in Yusuf’s diagnosis, care and treatment.”
Champion added that she had been assured that an independent investigation was being launched.
She said: “I have been assured by the chief executive of Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust that an independent investigation is being launched and I will support Youssef’s family to ensure their concerns are fully investigated.
“The circumstances of Yusuf’s death are very disturbing. It is important that investigations consider the role of each organization involved in their care and, crucially, the communication and coordination between them. we need [to] Make sure changes are made to prevent this from ever happening again.
“I will do everything I can to continue to support Yusuf’s family at this extremely difficult time and to ensure that their wishes are respected.”
Ahmed told Sky News he wanted a “fully independent inquiry into the NHS”.
The boy’s uncle said the health service “wants an external investigation by someone from the NHS outside the district”, adding: “We are still in negotiations and we request that it be completely external.”
The chief executive of the hospital, Dr. Richard Jenkins, who met Ahmed and apologized to him and the family, said investigators outside South Yorkshire would review his care, the BBC reported.
In a letter to Champion, Jenkins said he was working with NHS England to “identify appropriate independent investigators”.
He said: “It is important that a full and independent investigation takes place as soon as possible so that the family can get answers to their concerns and we can identify where changes need to be made.”
He said the family would be involved in setting the terms of reference for the investigation.
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