Ormond Street condemned for Baby P blunders

GREAT Ormond Street is to be heavily criticised for blunders which led to the tragic death of Baby P.

The leading children's hospital is named in a highly critical report by the Healthcare Commission, the official NHS watchdog.

It is to be rebuked over several communications failures, including the failure to hand medical notes to the doctor who failed to notice the 17-month-old had a broken back and ribs days before he died.

The hospital is one of series of bodies criticised in the report, the Standard has learned.

The report is expected to focus on a succession of failings such as poor co-ordination between frontline staff who saw Baby P but failed to act.

It will also highlight the fact the toddler was seen 78 times by social services, health workers and police during months of abuse.

Healthcare Commission chief Anna Walker has described the case as "one of the saddest and most shocking... on which we have ever been asked to report". Baby P's mother, boyfriend and lodger, Jason Owen, face long jail sentences over the death of the child from Haringey.

The last medical professional to see Baby P before he died was paediatrician Dr Sabah al-Zayyat, who worked for Great Ormond Street and checked him 48 hours before his death. She failed to examine the boy because he seemed "cranky" and missed his broken back and ribs.

Dr al-Zayyat has been suspended by the General Medical Council pending further inquiries into her conduct and Great Ormond Street sacked her after questions were raised.

She has refused to comment but is said to believe the hospital made her a scapegoat. It is understood she was not shown crucial case notes on the toddler.

The part played by two north London hospitals, North Middlesex and the Whittington, will also be highlighted.

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust told the Standard it was unable to comment on the report: "We believe the Healthcare Commission report is not being published this week and we don't know when it will be published. We will respond to the report once it is published."

Meanwhile, vandals broke into the Haringey house where Baby P lived, daubing "kill the bastards" on the wall. The house is being renovated.