Hospital apologises for baby overdose

The overdose happened at Glan Clwyd Hospital

A north Wales hospital has apologised to the parents of a baby mistakenly given an overdose of painkillers.

Natasha Burrows was being treated at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Denbighshire for a scald when the error was made.

A locum doctor gave the 19-week-old baby a 2.4 milligram dose of morphine - a daily dose - rather than the normal 0.4 milligram dose that is administered four times a day.

Shortly afterwards another doctor checked the records, spotted the error, and quickly intervened to give Natasha the antidote.

Angry

The child later received treatment for the burn injury at Alder Hey Children's hospital in Liverpool.

Natasha's father Alan Burrows said he and his wife Carol had accepted a formal apology from the hospital.

"The hospital needs to put something in place to ensure that this does not happen again," said Mr Burrows.

"If you take a little girl to hospital, you expect to be able to trust any doctor. For this to happen, it throws your faith.

"We try not to think about what could have happened."

A hospital spokesman confirmed that it was not a disciplinary matter because it had been a genuine misinterpretation.

'Expressed regret'

The spokesman said the locum doctor was used to another hospital's methods.

He added that since the incident, procedures have been tightened.

A statement from Glan Clwyd said: "We have expressed our regret to the family and in light of their concerns we have arranged to meet them next week with the doctors involved.

"The error was immediately identified and action was taken to prescribe the antidote.

"The incident involved a locum and the hospital have examined their procedures regarding the induction of new doctors as a result of the incident."