Hospital treated girl ‘as collateral damage’

Amie Miller, 15, was taken to Basildon Hospital A&E in November 2008 after suffering headaches while studying for her GCSEs at Grays Convent High School in Thurrock, Essex.

She died from a brain condition three days later and an inquest at Essex County Hall heard the hospital missed several opportunities to save her life.

A jury returned a narrative verdict, saying that the medics had seriously failed to meet Amie’s needs by failing to carry out basic checks, administering inappropriate treatment and failing to properly communicate with one another.

Speaking afterwards, Amie’s family told how she was a promising student who had dreamed of becoming a paediatrician.

Stepfather Mbarek Aitmarri said: “For us there’s no doubt that systematic failings caused Amie’s death. I drove her to hospital and I ask myself everyday whether, if I had taken her to another hospital, she would still be alive.”

Basildon Hospital is currently under special measures and was one of 14 named by NHS England medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh’s report into abnormally high death rates.

A month ago the hospital was fined £100,000 after a court heard two patients died after a chronic outbreak of legionella.

Amie, from Stanford-le-Hope, died of encephalitis, which causes inflammation of the brain.

The origin of her condition, characterised by vomiting and flu-like symptoms, is unknown.

Doctors believed she was “on the mend” and missed signs she was deteriorating. Errors included misinterpreting the results of a CT scan and failing to carry out a MRI scan which would have identified the condition, despite one being recommended.

Mr Aitmarri said: “From the moment Amie died we faced constant evasion and were passed from one person to another. We feel our daughter has been treated as collateral damage and there’s no real recognition of our loss.”