A WITHAM girl who suffered serious brain damage as a result of delays in diagnosing and treating her meningitis as a baby has been awarded a £5.5 million settlement.
Ellie Sutton, nine, received the lifetime care and rehabilitation settlement from the Royal Courts of Justice on Monday (July 7) after it was ruled that there had been delays at Colchester Hospital in diagnosing the illness.
Ellie was eight months old when she was referred to the paediatric unit at the Essex hospital after her GP suspected she was suffering from meningitis, a condition which causes inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord.
But after the hospital failed to follow their own guidelines for dealing with the symptoms the youngster displayed, she was ultimately left with severe brain damage and now needs care for the rest of her life, as well as suffering from epilepsy and learning difficulties which affect her speech.
Her mother Sarah Sutton said: "We were devastated when we found out that Ellie had suffered brain damage and even more heartbroken for her when we found out her condition could have been avoided had simple errors not been made.
"To watch our daughter struggle with everyday life is devastating on our family and no matter what happens nothing can change that.
"I strongly urge everyone to trust their instincts when it comes to their loved ones. We put our trust in the professionals and they do fail leaving disastrous consequences. Nobody will know your children like you do and with meningitis every second really does count.
"Ellie is an amazing little girl and we are very proud of her determination and will be behind her every step of the way."
The court found that the hospital had failed to follow their own guidelines in Ellie's treatment, which recommend that any child with a temperature of more than 38°c should be kept in and monitored hourly.
Instead, she was discharged shortly after arriving despite a recorded temperature as high as 39.9°c.
Even after Ellie's mother took her back to the hospital later that evening and the doctor recommended her condition was investigated further, a medical review was not conducted until the ward rounds 11 hours later.
Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust admitted that without the delays in treatment Ellie would have made a full recovery.
"We are incredibly relieved that the case has been fully settled as Ellie will now have the means to get the care and expert rehabilitation that she needs to help in her everyday life and as a parent it's a huge relief knowing that she will receive support into her adult life too," added Sarah.
A Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said: "We confirm that we have settled a claim brought by Mrs Sarah Sutton on behalf of her daughter Ellie. An admission of liability was made in October 2009. The Trust has apologised unreservedly.
"The Trust acknowledges that errors were made in the failure to diagnose meningitis and expresses their sincere regret again to Mrs Sutton and to Ellie."
