Nursery World - Bereaved remind hospitals to listen

Hospital staff must not ignore any concerns voiced by the family of a sick child in their care, the parents of a boy who died of negligence at Alder Hey children's hospital told delegates at a conference in London last week. The conference on baby and child deaths, which was organised by the Child Bereavement Trust, brought together 700 delegates, including 150 paediatric doctors. Parents of young children who had died in various tragic circumstances also shared their experiences with hospitals.

The conference on baby and child deaths, which was organised by the Child Bereavement Trust, brought together 700 delegates, including 150 paediatric doctors. Parents of young children who had died in various tragic circumstances also shared their experiences with hospitals.

Alan and Julie Jarvis, whose four-year-old son Matthew had special needs and died in Alder Hey in December 1990, spoke of the importance of parents being listened to in hospital. They said, 'It is important for consultants down to auxiliary nurses to listen to parents when we say our children are taking a turn for the worse - more especially when it is parents of a special needs child. We know our children the best. '

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