Bosses at the QEH have admitted staff “fell below standard” when they ignored a disabled man’s seizures for hours.
Joshua Bartlett, 24, who is cared for by his parents in Gorefield and Wisbech, was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Monday, December 15, after suffering multiple sudden seizures.
Living with tuberous sclerosis, a rare and complex genetic condition which causes tumours to grow in his vital organs, the convulsions pose a serious risk to him – and his mother and father, Jane and Andy Bartlett, grew very concerned.
The pair have now come out to say that what they experienced inside the QEH wards was “deeply wrong”.
“When we arrived there at approximately 4pm, no handover was taken from the ambulance crew – no doctor or nurse came to assess Joshua,” Mr Bartlett told the Lynn News.
“Staff were visibly present and working nearby, yet no one approached him, despite the fact that he was visibly seizing.”
The QEH has issued an apology for the standard of care Joshua Bartlett recieved
Three hours ticked by, and the issue was raised multiple times – but no help came.
By 7pm, Joshua’s seizures started again, and this time he was choking.
Mr Bartlett said: “Two doctors seated close by looked over, clearly observed what was happening and then returned to their computer screens.
“They did not come to check his airway or assess his condition.”
Joshua Bartlett suffers from tuberous sclerosis. Picture: Andy Bartlett
Growing desperate, his parents complained once more, leading to the doctors having to call Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for advice.
“Joshua cannot speak, he cannot move, he cannot call for help,” Mr Bartlett said.
“When medical professionals fail to act, he has no other means of protection.
Interim executive managing director Chris Bown. Picture: QEH
“Watching a seizing, choking child be ignored by those responsible for his care is an experience no parent should endure.
“I understand the pressures facing the NHS, I understand staff shortages, overcrowded departments and impossible workloads – but what happened to Joshua was not simply a delay in care, it was a failure of attention, responsibility and basic human empathy towards a young person who wasn’t able to articulate himself.”
The family highlighted the compassion they received from ambulance crews, and described the difference between that and the ward as “stark”.
“Patients like Joshua are the measure of a healthcare system. If they can be overlooked, dismissed, or ignored, then something is deeply wrong,” Mr Bartlett said.
“I kept looking at the dozens of posters along the corridors about treating staff with dignity and respect, and that must be part of any social contract between the public and those who serve in public services – but it shouldn’t be one-way traffic.”
The hospital has now issued an apology to Joshua, admitting its wrongs.
Chris Bown, the interim executive managing director at the QEH, said: “We are very sorry that the level of care experienced by Joshua and his family on this day fell below the standard we aim to deliver and that patients should rightly expect.
“I want to offer assurance that we are taking this feedback seriously.
“Action has been taken since we spoke with Joshua’s family in December, and we remain in communication with them.”
Joshua’s family has subsequently been working with the patient advice and liaison service, and say they have seen improvement in care.
This is the latest in a series of recent issues at the QEH.
Just last week, a damning review revealed its surgeons have caused serious lapses in care for patients, resulting in at least one person dying.