Child’s death exposes communication shortfalls between GPs and hospitals

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By Sarah Lowden

Communication between GPs and hospitals continues to “face challenges” because there is no one single patient record, a medical college has warned, following the death of a boy with appendicitis.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) also acknowledged GPs “are faced with a choice under time pressures” to admit via paediatrics or direct to the emergency department, and that there needs to be more awareness of the best method of referring, in its response to a prevention of future deaths report.

Eight-year-old Ethan Hanson died last year from septic shock, peritonitis and perforated appendicitis.

He went to the GP because of abdominal pain, vomiting and concern there may be a serious underlying cause, including appendicitis. The GP accurately recorded a raised temperature and tachycardia.

The GP advised he go straight to hospital but apparently had not realised that self-presentation would place him on a different pathway than if he had arrived by ambulance or with written referral details, the coroner said.