Nurse suspended for ‘poisoning’ child at Birmingham Children’s Hospital as review into sudden deaths conducted

A nurse was arrested and later suspended after a child’s sudden death at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in May last year as the NHS Trust conducted a review into cases of patients being treated at the paediatric unit.

According to The Times, the study was conducted to examine child deaths and unexpected collapses at the Britain’s largest paediatric intensive care unit following a spike in fatalities, with cases dating back to January of last year.

The findings, which have been turned over to the police, said the nurse was arrested after colleagues reportedly voiced concerns when the child’s condition deteriorated on May 18, last year. The child died the next day, and the nurse, 28, was arrested on suspicion of administering a poison with the intent to endanger life.

She remains suspended from work and has also been suspended by the regulator, meaning she cannot work as a nurse elsewhere.

Dr Fiona Reynolds, chief medical officer at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, told The Times: “In May 2022, a child in the paediatric intensive care unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital deteriorated suddenly and unexpectedly.

“Due to the circumstances of the deterioration, the trust acted straight away. A member of staff was suspended from work and subsequently arrested at home. Sadly, the child later died and our thoughts remain with the family.

She continued: “The trust immediately followed the standard safeguarding protocol for the sudden unexpected death of a child, and West Midlands police were notified the same day.

“An extensive clinical review of deaths and sudden deteriorations in children in the paediatric intensive care unit has been undertaken by clinicians at the trust. Their findings have in turn been reviewed by independent experts and shared with the police.”

Reynolds said the trust had spoken to all the families where the care of their child had been reviewed, and had responded to all requests from West Midlands police and the coroner. She said: “At all times, our priority is patient safety, which is why we took decisive action without delay.”

A spokesperson for West Midlands police said the nurse remained under investigation in connection with the death of the child last year and she was arrested on suspicion of administering poison with intent to endanger life.

Last year, the trust board was alerted to a surge in mortality rates among neonatal and paediatric intensive rates among neonatal and paediatric intensive care services. The trust said all deaths continued to be reviewed and reported to national surveillance systems for paediatric care.