A SCHOOLBOY sent home from hospital three times before he collapsed and died at home could have survived if he had been admitted for observation, an inquest has ruled.
Joseph Barrett, aged 11, visited Chesterfield Royal Hospital three times in as many days but was sent home each time, in June 2007.
The day after his final discharge, Joe collapsed at home on Worcester Close, Clay Cross, where his mum Ruth Barrett tried desperately to resuscitate him.
But he was pronounced dead on arrival at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.
Joe had been complaining of stomach pains and vomiting since Thursday June 7 when he was sent home from school.
After visiting his GP, he was referred to Chesterfield Royal Hospital's Nightingale Ward where he was briefly admitted before being sent home with antibiotics for a suspected urine infection.
Ruth took him to A&E at 6am the next day where he was again examined but sent home to give the antibiotics more time to work. By Saturday, Joe's was vomitting blood so Ruth rang NHS direct who referred the family back to the hospital where Joe stayed overnight.
A doctor diagnosed 'non specific abdominal pain' and suggested a surgical consultation might be needed if he did not improve.
The next morning, Monday June 10, Dr James Crossley, discharged Joe after learning he had managed to eat breakfast.
He arranged to see him four days later but the youngster, who had made a full recovery since undergoing bowel surgery as a baby, died the next day.
A post mortem revealed an obstruction in Joe's bowel.
An inquest into his death revealed inconsistencies in medical notes made by the different staff who examined Joe.
His mum also gave different accounts of the examinations.Ruth claimed she told medics her son's vomit was green but there was no record of it.
Green vomit, indicating bile, was described by expert Mr Shailinder Jit Singh as the "key symptom" of an internal obstruction.
Mr Singh said he would have kept Joe in for 36 hours' observation because of the blood in his vomit.
Deputy coroner Katherine Mason recorded a narrative verdict. "Joe died as a result of natural causes," she said.
"Had he been admitted to hospital for 36 hours observation his condition could have been detected and treated and, on the balance of probabilities, Joe would have survived."
During the inquest Dr Crossley apologised directly to the family, saying; "I'm desperately sorry about the decision I made."
READ MOREBack to main news index.Latest video reportsTraffic and travel information.Check out the jams on Sheffield's traffic cameras.Today's features.Books of condolence.Pictures.More Barnsley news.More Rotherham news.More Doncaster news.The full article contains 454 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
