Liverpool Care Pathway - May Actions Have Ulterior Purpose?

Accidents are accidents but their consequences must be owned up to. Where there is purpose concealed, that is sinister and ominous indeed.


Negligent care

Ollie Lewis was starved of oxygen to his brain due to a late delivery. Machines were switched off and his parents told to say their goodbyes.

Against all odds, he survived. 

- Weston Mercury

Doctors said it would be a miracle if he lived to see his first birthday.

Against all odds, he survived. 

Against all odds, he survives.

How terminal is 'terminal'? How futile is futile?

Ollie has been left with brain damage, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. He is also registered blind. Ollie's mum and dad are in a legal battle with the hospital to secure funding for Ollie’s care.

Robert Woolley, chief executive of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust has apologised. Lessons will be taken. 

"No one knows what's going to happen because if he did what had been expected he would have passed away at a few hours.

"When he had his MRI, they said he would not be able to breathe or open his eyes.

"And when they took him off the machines we held him and held him and held him.

"When he came home Ollie was pretty lifeless and that was why at that point we had to stay awake with him because if he stopped breathing we would not have known."

Chief executive of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Robert Woolley, said: "On behalf of the Trust, I am deeply sorry for the errors that were made and the extreme distress these have caused the family."
- The Bristol Post

- The Weston Mercury

The Trust has owned up for its shortcomings. The Trust needs to own up to its continuing responsibility of care and for the terrible consequences with which this family is faced.

Every day is a struggle but life is precious; every day is a bonus and living matters.

Ollie's determination to live astonishes; is record of the love and care his parents dote upon him; serves to confound all predictions that he would not.

Again, an assault by error is attempted upon this young life...

Two skilled hospital pharmaceutical technicians have prescribed a fatal dose of Ollie's medication. How could this happen? This is an offence that warrants reprimand and dismissal.

This is Mail Online –

A hospital chemist gave a severely disabled blind baby a potentially fatal dose of medication, ten times stronger than his usual prescription.

Little Ollie Lewis must take the powerful medication to stop him suffering seizures, with his parents collecting a new dose from Lloyds Pharmacy every week.

It was only thanks to their familiarity with the repeat prescription that father Neil Lewis noticed staff had measured out 2.5ml of Midazolam, rather than 0.25ml.

Mr Lewis, 28, said that if the little boy, who will turn two in February, had taken the dosage it would have killed him.

Ollie was starved of oxygen to the brain, due to a late delivery at St Michael's Hospital, Bristol, and suffered catastrophic brain damage, cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

The youngster, who was not expected to survive, is also registered blind and suffers from seizures - which are treated with Midazolam.

'Two pharmacists checked the dosage, which was supposed to be 0.25ml,' said Mr Lewis, of Worle, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset.

'But they administered 2.5ml and this was also written on the label.

'If we hadn't spotted it and someone else had given that amount to him it would have killed him. 

'After everything we have been through to have this happen is absolutely disgusting.'

Mr Lewis said he and Ollie's mother Charmaine Malcolm, 24, visit the pharmacy, based at Weston General Hospital, every fortnight to pick up the dose of Midazolam.

This is Volkskrant –

GP Nico Tromp addministered 1 gram of morphine to a terminal cancer patient in Tuitjenhorn. His colleagues and attending physician Eugène Steenvoorde, who had access to the case file said, "Such a high dose was not necessary. But I think he wanted to be that the patient was no longer awake.

Disproportionate amount

Tromp chose a huge amount of morphine, which he administered as an injection. According to Steenvoorde the dose of 1 gram was disproportionate, but this had the best intentions for the patient. "It fits the impulsive Nico, he really wanted to help him well. He acted in good faith. "

Dr. Nico is a 'caring killer'...

- The Independent 

Where there is purpose concealed...

Neil and Charmaine have had to give up their jobs as a recruitment consultant and self-employed hairdresser respectively, so they can provide 24-hour care for Ollie.

Neil added: “We lived life hour by hour, then day by day. Our lives revolved around making sure he was breathing and getting enough fluid but he kept holding on.

“People ask us if he is in a lot of pain but he’s not, he is a happy baby.

“For us it’s the lack of sleep that’s the hardest, but as long as he is comfortable and happy that’s all we want.”- The Weston Mercury

May actions have ulterior motive?