Harrowing account of Martha Mill's death at 13 in Guardian today

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I don't think there's another thread on this already I did a search, but I think this needs to be widely read - there seems to have been no lack of NHS resources here whatsoever, but consultants' arrogance by the spade; shades of This is Going to Hurt? Every parents' worst nightmare:

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/sep/03/13-year-old-daughter-dead-in-five-weeks-hospital-mistakes

This is so true I used to be a nurse albeit mental health ,weekends and Bank Holidays are very quiet compared to during the week when it's top heavy with staff ,It's not a good time to be admitted in February or August either when junior Doctors rotate .

Absolutely heartbreaking. Poor child.

To answer your question- you 'shout' really loud

This. It's so difficult though because as a mother the more you speak up, the more you are written off and not taken seriously. At least that's how it feels.

When my son was ill it took several months for him to get the treatment he needed. A lovely nurse quietly told me to come back every time. I resorted to getting his Dad to take him to A&E as he was taken more seriously.

My 16 year old cousin was another needless death from Sepsis not even two years ago but I can’t elaborate on it as the family is in the midst of taking it as far as they can. They’ve won round one but there are more to go.

This.
It’s utterly bonkers that in 2022 serious medical treatment (not A&E) effectively shuts down, over weekends and on bank holidays. Sadly as I know to my cost.

Heartbreaking read.

And that is the sad truth of it - “hysterical over protective mothers” they are clearly more desperate to find a Munchausen’s by proxy case than any other condition. When my DD was having some problems I was questioned in a way that made me feel like they blamed me or thought that somehow I was faking her blood tests.

Had 3 senior doctors in on each meeting all making notes and making me feel like a monster for wanting my DD to feel better, and then questioning why I thought that her symptoms might be be improving by taking the medication her GP had agreed she should take! Arseholes.

Have had great care for my DS during a recent lump scare, but still had to push for a second scan as they completely missed the lump the first time! Consultant congratulated him on insisting they check again, but from a mum they’d have taken that as unreasonable I’m sure.

Every parents worst nightmare but chimes with everything I’ve experienced with doctors/consultants …… absolutely horrendous 💔

I don't have much more to add than has already been said - certainly nothing helpful - but I am glad that people are reading it and taking note. So many times we have threads on here saying that doctors and nurses know best, they shouldn't be questioned as they are so overworked and underpaid etc. we should be grateful for free care and so on. And sometimes you just need say what utter cunts to let this child die needlessly; give voice to it, call it for what it is - cruel negligence.

Its not fair and we should all be angry for Martha and her family.

That is awful. So I'm guessing you didn't give any evidence?

Our lives in their hands

I read that this morning while on a children’s ward with my 15 week old DS who was admitted via paediatric A&E on Thursday. Luckily he is on the mend from a nasty bug that turned out not to be something serious and we’re just here to complete the IV antibiotics but I probably shouldn’t have read it tbh.

My experience this week was very good, when they weren’t sure what the infection was they immediately started preliminary antibiotics for sepsis and meningitis because while they didn’t think it was those things, they didn’t want to mess around. But I can completely see how you put yourself in the hands of the doctors no matter how articulate or forceful you might be in the world outside (or indeed if it was happening to you - very different when it’s your child who is the patient).

Heartbroken for Martha’s family.

That's absolutely unspeakably horrendous. Poor, poor Martha.

I'm not usually strongly affected by things I read, but this article was exceptionally upsetting.

Don't worry op the tories will privatise it soon and then 'the cunts' as you do lovingly referred to them will all be out of a job.

Not to worry about the people who won't be able to afford private health care and will die.

This site towards hcps and teachers is absolutely toxic.

I shouldnt have read it but did. It chimes very closely with the experience we had of losing my mother 20 years ago.

I hope the author gets some counselling when she's ready, I have found that so useful.

I'm glad that her career choices have left her in a position to speak out.

I read that earlier and felt quite shaken. Absolutely awful and disturbing.

That's was the most unsettling read. My DH had advanced sepsis a few years ago. Luckily there were several NHS doctors who listened to my concerns and took me seriously, even though he wasn't presenting in a typical manner. I felt very listened to, when I challenged I was heard and action was taken. Much of it was based on his colour and my gut feeling and how I described his symptoms in the days prior, nothing really backed by science. It is devastating to think that a mother would not be listened to when her child is lying in a hospital bed.

Fucking heartbreaking. Martha was failed at so many points in her treatment. There is so much arrogance in the medical profession.

I hope her parents don't become consumed with anger. I suspect that's what would happen to me in their shoes.

The arrogance of doctors is astounding, and it's drilled into them right from the start.

I recently saw my GP for something minor, and there happened to be a medical student sitting in. GP (knowing I'm from a medical background myself) asked if it was okay if medical student asked me some questions as practice for him. I used a couple of very basic medical terms and the medical student very condescendingly asked "who told you those words? Can you tell me what you think they mean"?

Arrogant pipsqueak.

@x2boys no there isn't an inquest, We we're on our way to see him when we got a phone call from my dad to say he's apparently took a turn for the worse so by the time we arrived we were already frantic so when we got took into a side room we thought we were going to be told how poorly he was and the next stages of his care, instead we were told he's died about 30 minutes of us arriving. We went to see in in his room and the doctor mentioned the coroner but I think being in complete shock and sobbing our hearts out we said as long as they knew what it was that caused his death ie the severe infection caused his heart to stop which is basically what we were told then we didn't want him being referred to the coroner. It's only now when the numbness and shock is slowly fading and reality setting in that I am questioning things. I've failed him and I'll never forgive myself.

So it's absolutely fine in your opnion that this child died from medical negligence?
There is no excuse for what happened to her it was down to negligence ,she should be alive today.

Heartbreaking read 😢

This about a 13 year old girl who was allowed to die - its not a discussion about NHS funding (or teachers?!) I'm quite content to use that description for the people in this case, who allowed her to die, whilst having every resource at their fingertips to prevent it.