A hospital trust has admitted a failure in its safety system following an operation in which a boy died.

Nine-year-old Tony Clowes of Dagenham died in July 2001 at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, after he was taken there following an accident when he fell off his bike.

Mid Essex Hospitals Trust admitted a failing to ensure the health and safety of the youngster when the case was heard at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday.

Sentence was adjourned and a date will be fixed in March next year.

A jury inquest held in 2003 found that Tony's death was an accident but said a contributory cause to his death was "system neglect".

Tony died from an irreversible lack of oxygen to the brain.

An investigation followed which found there was a blockage in the anglepiece connector of the breathing tube used while Tony was undergoing an operation for a severe cut to his finger.

A statement issued by the trust after yesterday's hearing said: "The Mid Essex Services NHS Trust has today entered a plea of guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act, namely that before and on June 18 2001 there was a failure by it to have devised, established and implemented an effective system for identification of appropriate recipients of safety notices issued by the Medical Devices Agency and for the effective dissemination of such notices.

"As the court was told, the factual basis for this plea will be decided in due course by a High Court judge when the trust will also be sentenced for its breach of duty outlined above.

"Until those matters are heard it would not be appropriate for the trust to comment further."

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Published Tuesday, November 22, 2005

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