Boy died after blunders

A teenager admitted to hospital for a routine operation to treat a broken arm died after a catalogue of blunders by a London hospital.

Faraaz Nutkani, 14, suffered organ failure and septic shock after Central Middlesex Hospital failed to spot his arm had become infected. A coroner strongly criticised the hospital, saying "gross failure" by doctors led to Faraaz's death.

Today his parents, Rashid and Safia, told of their anger and their grief. They claim misdiagnosis and other failures meant Faraaz did not receive the antibiotics and care that could have saved his life.

Mrs Nutkani, 44, said: "The hospital was incompetent, complacent and negligent - they've taken my son away from me. All the time I came up against a stone wall. I wanted to know what was happening and how Faraaz was doing but they just closed ranks. I've been left numb."

Faraaz was taken to hospital on 11 February after breaking his arm when he was hit by a car near his Wembley home. He was sent home within a few hours after doctors realigned the

joint. But over the next week he suffered from fever, diarrhoea and vomiting and was rushed back to the hospital on 18 February. Doctors did not realise Faraaz was suffering from septic shock, they thought he had gastroenteritis.

Mrs Nutkani said: "I was very worried but they didn't seem to be in any hurry."

She said of her son: "He was a very philosophical boy. He had a strong sense of right and wrong. He was very noble." At Hornsey coroner's court this

month, the hospital admitted there was a delay in giving Faraaz antibiotics.

Dr David Ogilvie, who carried out an independent report into Faraaz's death, said: "Healthy 14-year-old boys should not be in shock. Some other process should have been considered urgently when he was not responding to treatment. Shock is what killed him and there were signs it was present from the start. I don't think that was sufficiently addressed."

Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker said: "It was a gross failure in Faraaz's medical care not to correct the shock, which was present from the time he arrived at the hospital and which caused his death." He recorded a narrative verdict.

Central Middlesex Hospital said it had carried out an investigation. A spokesman said: "We have reviewed our procedures in monitoring the care of extremely unwell children, and introduced new policies and guidelines."