Hospital staff 'unconcerned' before girl, 2, died of sepsis

Marcie was admitted to the children's ward at Bath's Royal United Hospital and given antibiotics

A father whose two-year-old daughter died of sepsis said hospital staff seemed unconcerned when her condition deteriorated, an inquest has heard.

Marcie Tadman was taken to the Royal United Hospital in Bath after she was diagnosed with pneumonia in December 2017, but died two days later.

Avon Coroner's Court heard doctors tried to resuscitate Marcie but were unable to save her.

James Tadman said she had looked into his eyes, said "Ok Daddy" and died.

The toddler, from Bath, had been suffering with a cough for a couple of weeks and was taken to the out of hours GP service on the morning of 2 December 2018, where she was diagnosed with a viral infection.

Mr Tadman took her to Accident and Emergency that night when he became concerned about her breathing.

'Right as rain'

In a statement read out to the inquest he said: "A male nurse told me she was suffering from a simple chest infection, possible pneumonia, and that antibiotics would be given and she would be right as rain."

Marcie was admitted to the children's ward and given antibiotics, and Mr Tadman was told she would be able to go home in a couple of days.

However, on the evening of 4 December he said he became concerned that staff did not seem to be responding when monitors kept going off indicating her blood oxygen levels were low.

Mr Tadman said he questioned whether his daughter was getting sicker but was reassured the antibiotics would help.

"No-one else seemed concerned so that put me at ease," he said.

He said he fell asleep and woke at 02:00 GMT on 5 December to find Marcie had vomited again.

Shortly before she died, Mr Tadman claimed the consultant in charge clapped his hands and asked his staff: "Why is this child still here and not in intensive care?"

Doctors tried for an hour and a half to save Marcie but couldn't.

"It was all a bit of blur, I just couldn't get my head around how we had got to this point when they had been telling me all day she was going to be fine," he said.

"They couldn't explain why there had been so little concern and why we had received so much reassurance and then she had died."

A post-mortem found Marcie had died from a Group A Streptococcus infection with secondary pneumonia.

The inquest continues.