Eleanor had routine surgery for craniosynostosis on 29 September 2023 and it went as planned, apart from the accidental removal of the breathing tube used during anaesthetic, which was replaced by the anaesthetist and the procedure continued.
During recovery, Eleanor had a raised heart rate and needed oxygen, and a decision was made to start AIRVO, a type of high-flow humidified oxygen, which was undocumented and not prescribed in accordance with trust’s guidelines.
After her operation, Eleanor developed a collapsed lung as a result of surgery.
A radiographer failed to flag her abnormal chest X-ray to anyone on the ward, and the doctor did not review it immediately because she was in A&E reviewing another child.
Eleanor had a cardiac arrest before the collapsed lung was identified and treated, causing an unsurvivable brain injury.
An investigation found there were 24 failures in care that resulted in her death.
These included failure to correctly calculate her Paediatric Early Warning System, external score on several occasions, which would have led to a much earlier medical review and chest X-ray.
In a statement, her family said: “Eleanor’s death was preventable and should not have happened.
“As parents, the guilt is unbearable, even though we know Eleanor was failed by the trust and not by us. We are irreversibly changed as people.
“We don’t just constantly grieve for her, we grieve for the people we used to be when our daughter was here.”
They said they recognised the changes the trust has implemented following Eleanor’s death, but these had to be “used properly, kept under review and make care safer for other children”.
Chaz said two post-operative procedures had been brought in to Alder Hey and named after Eleanor and changes the hospital had put in place was Eleanor’s legacy and something he and his wife could be proud of.
Lynda Reynolds, the family’s solicitor and partner at Hugh James, said it was “an unimaginably tragic case”.
“Eleanor’s parents placed their trust in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital to care for their daughter and were let down.
“For Eleanor’s family, the trust’s acceptance of responsibility and public apology are important, but this follows a long and painful process.
“We hope that the changes the trust have implemented continue to make care safer for other children.”
