Inquiries into Jonnie Meek's death at Stafford Hospital

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Jonnie MeekImage source, Family photo
Image caption,

Jonnie Meek died in August 2014

Investigations have opened into the death of a three-year-old boy at Stafford Hospital.

Jonnie Meek died while being fed via his stomach in August 2014. An inquest recorded a verdict of natural causes.

Stafford and Surrounds Clinical Commissioning Group is conducting an independent investigation into the care Jonnie received at the hospital.

Police are carrying out an independent review of information provided to the Child Death Overview Panel, external.

The panel is responsible for reviewing information on all unexpected child deaths.

Jonnie's parents, from Cannock, said their son was trying a different type of milk feed to what he normally had, which had made him sick on previous occasions.

They said they believe he may have had an allergic reaction but criticised the care he received in the hospital.

Media caption,

Jonnie Meek's mother April said she tried her best to get help for her son

April Meek told BBC News: "It's just that if somebody had listened to me, it wouldn't have gone that far... I tried my best to get him some help..."

The commissioning group said it had been contacted by Cannock MP Amanda Milling, on behalf of Jonnie's mother.

Ms Milling said she could not comment on the case.

Both the commissioning group and University Hospital of North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust were contacted by Ms Keeling and both organisations opened investigations.

The UHNM has since paused its inquiry so staff can help the commissioning group's investigation.

The commissioning group's chief officer, Andrew Donald, said the group had met the family and agreed a detailed set of actions in relation to a complaint they had made and that the actions had been implemented.

"One of those actions was to set up an independent clinical review, which is currently ongoing," he said.

Image source, PA
Image caption,

A January inquest into Jonnie's death recorded a verdict of natural causes

"It would be inappropriate to pre-empt the finding the findings of that review, but once it has been completed we will be in a position to move forward appropriately."

Det Supt Mark Dean, of Staffordshire Police, said he had been contacted by Jonnie's father. He said Mr Meek would be informed of his findings, which may take a few weeks.

The death happened when Stafford Hospital was run the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, which has since been dissolved.

The hospital had been at the centre of a £6m public inquiry into care failings.

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