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Tragic death: Ellis Hurndall
Tragic death: Ellis Hurndall

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Parents to sue hospital after baby son's death

Exclusive by Helen Clifton
14/ 3/2008

A COUPLE have started legal action after their son was born with severe disabilities and later died.

A coroner ruled that Ellis Hurndall died of natural causes but that ‘neglect’ at North Manchester General Hospital during his birth had contributed to his death 10 months later.

The hospital has now changed its procedures after an extensive review of events in 2005.

Ellis’s parents, Amanda and Stuart Hurndall, of Fairway, Castleton, have said they feel ‘vindicated’ by the verdict but have started legal action.

Ellis was left fighting for his life after Amanda’s uterus ruptured in February 2005, cutting off her baby’s oxygen supply and prompting an emergency Caesarean section.

After being resuscitated, Ellis was left with brain damage and cerebral palsy.

He had to be fed through a tube and doctors suspected he would grow up deaf, blind and quadraplegic. He died 10 months later from pneumonia.

During the three-day inquest at Rochdale Magistrates’ Court, it emerged that Ellis’ heartbeat wasn’t monitored properly during his birth and that drug guidelines hadn’t been followed properly.

Coroner Simon Nelson gave a verdict of death from natural causes, to which neglect contributed.

Mr Nelson said although other aspects of Ellis’s care were acceptable, the lack of heart monitoring was a ‘failure’.

He added: "But for that failure his life would have been prolonged.

"The manner by which he [Ellis] came by his death is a rarity and it is the first case of this kind I have dealt with."

The family’s solicitor, Stephen Jones, of Pannone LLP, said: "The family will be pursuing a claim for compensation and we hope that claim will be resolved quickly in the best interests of all concerned."

North Manchester General Hospital says it has changed some of its procedures in the wake of Ellis Hurndall’s death.

Click on the video window for Channel M's report ...


| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(8)


Most recent 2 of 8 user comments

   I hope that you get the compensation that you deserve You are very, very brave people. My son died because of a rare illness and I was also diagnosed wrongly.....so please for all the people that cannot claim please make these people accountable for all the wrongdoings and please God lets hope they do not make the same mistakes again.
lil green car, Rochdale
21/03/2008 at 23:06
   Fanny Hill, please read my post again, I did not mention, suggest or imply that they are not suffering, of course they are suffering and you do not need to go through that to understand just how much they are suffering. But what will a million quid get them and the rest of us. Exactly, nothing. The baby will not spring back to life and the rest of us will have a lower quality of service and therefore other babies lives will be put at risk. In your other post you have said you want to learn from this tradegy, well done, that is exactly what I believe we should do, learn from it to ensure it never happens to another child. But sueing everyone is not the answer, although it does get you a great holiday and your house paid for.
HereHere
21/03/2008 at 00:13
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