A boy who was sent away from hospital three times before he collapsed and died at home could have survived if he had been admitted for observation.

Boy, 11, died after hospital sent him home three times
Report in the Telegraph

Extract:

"After visiting his GP, he was referred to the hospital's Nightingale ward where he was briefly admitted before being sent home with antibiotics for a suspected urine infection.

His mother took him to accident and emergency at 6am the next day where he was again examined but sent home to give the antibiotics more time to work.

By Saturday, Joseph was vomiting blood so his mother rang NHS direct and doctors referred the family back to the hospital where the boy stayed overnight.

A doctor diagnosed 'non specific abdominal pain' and suggested a surgical consultation might be needed if he did not improve.

The next morning, Monday June 10, Dr James Crossley, discharged Joseph after learning he had managed to eat breakfast.

He arranged to see him four days later but the youngster, who had made a full recovery since undergoing bowel surgery as a baby, died the next day. A post mortem revealed an obstruction in Joseph's bowel."

I regard this as medical negligence and also stupidity on the part of the doctor. - How can 'vomiting blood' possibly be diagnosed as PAIN? - The pain this poor boy suffered was the RESULT of the internal problem that was causing him to vomit blood; it could not possibly be the CAUSE of vomiting blood.