Medical error led to baby's death

TWO-MONTH-OLD DIED FROM SPINAL INJURY AFTER TUBE WAS PUT INTO WRONG VEIN

- By JOEL MOORE [e-mail]

AN "extremely premature" baby died from a spinal injury mistakenly caused by medics at a Nottingham hospital, an inquest has been told.

Two-month-old Erioluwa Ajala died at the Queen's Medical Centre last June after what was supposed to be a routine procedure to insert a tube used to deliver medication and nutrients.

However, the tube was put in the wrong place, which medics failed to realise before using it. The error caused irreversible injuries to Erioluwa, who died almost two months later.

At an inquest into his death, which began on Monday, a consultant involved in his care said he could have survived had the mistake not been made.

The revelation comes amid an independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals - the largest in NHS history - which is examining around 2,500 cases.