‘We remain devastated by Penny’s death and are left wondering if more could have been done that night to help her’
A mother is taking legal action after her three-year-old daughter died from sepsis. Her tragic death came after the mum said they faced delayed treatment in a “manic” A&E where she said staff dismissed the symptoms as “probably just a virus”.
Little Penny Stevens lost her life after what has been labelled a “missed opportunity” to refer her for urgent assessment – despite the mum saying she showed clear warning signs of the deadly condition. The toddler had been taken to A&E at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester, West Sussex, by her anxious 41-year-old mum Jemma Graham.
Teacher Jemma was worried about her daughter’s ongoing cough, vomiting and rash and had been told by NHS 111 to bring her daughter to hospital. Upon arrival, they found the “clearly overwhelmed” A&E department was battling to cope and were told Penny might not be seen for several hours, the mum said.
Jemma says Penny, who also had a high temperature along with raised heart and respiratory rates, should have been assessed within 15 minutes of arriving at hospital. However, the mum claimed medical staff incorrectly recorded ‘no’ when asked whether Penny was sleepy, lethargic or irritable, despite the fact she had to be supported by her mum.
Jemma said she took her daughter home concerned about the lengthy wait but Penny’s condition deteriorated during the night. The mum rang 999 in the early hours of the following day and Penny was rushed by ambulance to hospital, but suffered a cardiac arrest shortly after arriving.
Despite resuscitation efforts lasting 80 minutes, she died from Group A Strep sepsis. A report has now found that a sepsis screening tool completed during an initial assessment recorded signs that should have triggered an urgent sepsis review. The NHS website says sepsis is “a serious complication of an infection. Without quick treatment, sepsis can lead to multiple organ failure and death.”
NHS report into Penny’s death
The Patient Safety Investigation Report by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust said: “The opportunity for escalating for an urgent sepsis assessment was missed.” Jemma has now instructed medical negligence lawyers to launch legal action against the trust following the tragedy in December 2022.
Jemma, of Emsworth, Hampshire, said: “Penny was bright, funny, and full of joy. We took her to hospital on the advice of NHS 111 after she became poorly, but the department was clearly overwhelmed. I was told she was probably suffering from a virus and, as to me the staff didn’t seem concerned that there was anything more sinister going on.
“I made the decision to take her home rather than keeping her waiting in the hospital, which was absolutely manic at the time. Hours later, she was gone. Due to the sepsis, Penny went downhill so rapidly, and our world collapsed.
“What followed has broken us as a family in ways that nobody should ever have to endure. We remain devastated by Penny’s death and are left wondering if more could have been done that night to help her.
“It’s hard not to think of how things should be, in a world where Penny would still be at home with us, growing up, and creating mischief with her brother. I don’t blame the staff on duty that night.
“They were working in impossible circumstances. My concerns lie with the system and the conditions that both patients and medical staff have to face.
“I’d do anything to have Penny back with us and want every parent to know the signs of sepsis. People have probably heard of sepsis, but they need to know how dangerous it is.”
Penny and Jemma reached St Richard’s Hospital shortly before 5.20pm on December 3, 2022. Penny, who has a younger brother called Charlie, now aged five, underwent triage at 6.20pm.
Long wait at hospital
Despite displaying warning signs and symptoms, the family say Penny’s situation was categorised as ‘green’ and deemed not to need a follow-up examination for another two hours. During this period, Jemma said she was requested to attempt collecting a urine sample from Penny, but she was distressed and unable to provide one.
Following more than two hours of waiting, the family say Penny had not received a re-examination and Jemma decided to take her daughter home where she felt she would be more at ease. She explained she felt reassured by the medical team’s apparent lack of concern after being informed it would be several hours before Penny would receive attention.
A discharge summary was produced, indicating treatment had been concluded, the investigation report revealed. At around 4am on December 4, the emergency call was placed to 999.
‘Incredibly tragic’
Penny passed away later that morning. Laura Hayes-Payne, the specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Penny’s mum, said: “Jemma remains devastated by the incredibly tragic circumstances surrounding Penny’s death. The hospital trust’s own investigation report has identified worrying issues in the care Penny received, including not recognising signs of sepsis or referring her for an urgent review.
“Jemma continues to have concerns about what happened to her daughter. All she wants is to ensure that all possible issues in Penny’s care are identified and acknowledged by the trust, and that lessons are learnt so that other families don’t have to endure what she and her family have.
“Through our work we continue to see too many families impacted by sepsis. Penny’s death highlights its dangers, the need for everyone to be aware of the symptoms and how early detection and treatment are essential.”
Dr Maggie Davies, chief nurse at University Hospitals Sussex NHS foundation Trust, said: “We extend our deepest sympathies to Penny’s family for the heartbreaking loss of their beloved daughter, and the immense grief they continue to endure.
“The national Group A Streptococcus outbreak in December 2022 placed enormous pressure on patients, families, and the dedicated staff who cared for them. We are so sorry that we were not able to prevent Penny’s death.”
Signs of sepsis in children
- Fever
- Confusion
- Reduced urine output
- Fast breathing
- Having a fit
- Mottled or blueish skin that can be cold to the touch
- A rash
- Lethargy
- Iriitability
- Child being difficult to wake up