'Catalogue of errors' led to child's meningitis death

A coroner has criticised a doctor who failed to spot a six-year-old girl had meningitis shortly before she died.

Layla Ermenekli died on 4 February 2017 eight hours after being taken to Royal Oldham Hospital with leg and stomach pains, a high temperature and a rash.

Coroner Lisa Hashmi said "a catalogue of errors" in the critical first hours of admission led to the child's death.

Layla's mother Kirsty said the inquest had revealed her daughter was "failed far more than I thought she was".

The coroner described the evidence of Dr Harsha Rajanna, who said Layla could go home, as "confused, confusing and unreliable".

Mrs Ermenekli said outside the court: "I couldn't be more heartbroken than what I am, to know that she could be here.

"It just hurts more. She was failed far more than I thought she was."

She said parents should be persistent with health professionals if they are concerned about their child, adding: "Parents know best. Feel like a paranoid parent if you want, just nag."

Layla's family hope the case can raise awareness of the dangers of meningitis.

Layla, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, should have been seen by a doctor within 10 minutes of being assessed at 20:55 on 3 February last year, the inquest heard, but Dr Rajanna did not see her until 22:50.

The inquest was told any competent doctor would have spotted rash on Layla's hip and suspected meningitis.

Paediatric sister Lucy Summerscales challenged Dr Rajanna's decision to discharge Layla at 00:20, the inquest heard, as she could see the girl was ill and "very grey".

She told how she was approached by Mrs Ermenekli who had been waiting for more than an hour while her daughter's temperature was increasing and she was getting worried and anxious.

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has already admitted Layla's care was not good enough and has apologised to her family for the quality of care received.