Hospital's apology after boy given wrong treatment

Sultan Hussain was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary following a referral by his GP. 

The seven-year-old’s family had spoken to their doctor about concerning boils on his hands and feet.

He had been taking antibiotics for the illness but the symptoms had failed to subside.

Arrangements were made for the family to attend the hospital for further tests and treatment.

They were assigned a room and tests were later conducted by a nurse.

Dad Nasar told the Telegraph & Argus: “She checked the chest, saying ‘Everything’s clear but for more tests we’ll need to keep him overnight’, which we agreed would be the best thing to do and have that understanding that he’s in the care of doctors and nurses who have a responsibility.”

Juggling Sultan’s treatment alongside Ramadan and caring for their other children, Nasar took the decision to go home overnight. 

When he returned, he described seeing his wife “upset and shaking”.

“I’ve got to the hospital,” Nasar said.

“My wife’s upset and she’s shaking. She said, ‘something’s wrong, the nurse came and put oxygen on Sultan and we don’t know what’s going on’. We haven’t come in for any breathing issues so I’ve gone to the docking station. A nurse responded by saying, ‘it’s a nebuliser, he was given some sodium because he had certain breathing issues’. I said he didn’t have any breathing issues. She said, ‘we’ve been told his chest was heavy’. I said that can’t be right. 

“I explained to my wife. She said, ‘I informed two nurses that my son doesn’t need this’. My wife’s English is not her first language so she was speaking to them in Punjabi and they also understood Punjabi.

“This doctor came to the room and informed us my son was given this medication which wasn’t for him. This was for another patient but it was given wrongly to my son, but not to worry because ‘it’s only a nebuliser and sodium, give him plenty of water, it’s just a human error’.

"I was upset, I was angered. This is a really big worry. You’re telling me my son is going to be ok, I’ll take your word for it.”

He added: “It’s concerning. Tomorrow it could be someone else’s child. 

“Anything could have happened. Then what, would they have turned round and say it’s just a human error? I couldn’t accept that. There was a time when I had so much confidence and trust within the NHS, with the hospitals, that one would feel safe to be treated going into hospital.”

A spokesperson for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust apologised for “the worry and distress caused to the family by this incident”.

The spokesperson moved to reassure the family that no harm was caused to their child and that an apology was given in person.

Nasar has since started the complaints process by signing a form giving permission for his son’s data to be accessed.

Following the conversation with the hospital’s team, he claims to have handed the form over to the docking station on the ward.

He later phoned up the hospital to check if his form had been submitted.

“I asked them and she said nobody’s submitted any forms here,” Nasar said.

“She said the best thing to do is go online. I just need to get my son’s birth certificate. It’s been a rollercoaster ride really.”

He also reported concerns about the delay in changing his son’s hospital bedding.

Nasar said: “The bedding was not changed for three days. [Staff member's name] informed me sometimes it happens to be the nurses come in and families say it’s ok. I said nobody said 'Do you need the bedding changing?'. He’s laying there with these boils which are bursting and there’s all the fluid on his bedding. After that conversation they did change his bedding straight away. It took them three days.”

Hospital's response in full

In response to this story, the hospital trust said: “We are very sorry for the worry and distress caused to the family by this incident but can assure them that no harm was caused to their child.

“While their child was still in hospital we apologised to the family, in person, and explained fully what had happened and action that would be taken to prevent such an error happening again.

“If there are any further concerns they wish to discuss, we would encourage them to contact the Trust’s Patient Experience team who will be able to arrange this and support them further.”