Couple may sue over baby's death

Couple may sue over baby's death

Queen Mary's Hospital said changes have been made since Lee's death

The parents of a sick baby who died after being left unattended in hospital are considering suing for clinical negligence.

The move follows an inquest into the death of Lee Foord, in which the coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death contributed to by neglect.

The Foord family's lawyer Maria Panteli said Lee was transferred to Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup, Kent, before his anticipated discharge.

The move, from King's College Hospital, central London, was intended to bring him nearer his parents Caroline and Lee, from Eltham, south-east London.

Ms Panteli said that on 20 April 2001 - the day before his first birthday - Lee suffered brain damage as a result of a cardiac arrest caused by his tracheotomy tube being partly blocked while he was left unattended.

The finding of neglect is one of the strongest verdicts that can be reached by a coroner

Foord family statement

The inquest heard the boy had been left unattended for 30 minutes, during which time the cardiac arrest happened.

His death came just two days after he started to breathe for himself at King's College Hospital.

A Metropolitan Police investigation was carried out following his death but no charges were brought.

In a statement issued on behalf of the "devastated" family, Ms Panteli said: "The finding of neglect is one of the strongest verdicts that can be reached by a coroner and reflects the seriousness of the hospital's failure to provide Lee with basic nursing care.

"We are going to be applying for public funding to investigate a claim on their (the family's) behalf to sue the trust for clinical negligence."

A statement from Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust said it regretted the distress caused to the family.

It added that an internal investigation had been carried out and a number of procedures had been changed.