Girl, 2, died from 'overwhelming sepsis' as inquest hears she would have lived longer had she been given antibiotics sooner
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A two-year-old girl who died from "overwhelming sepsis" in 2022 would likely have lived longer if antibiotics had been administered sooner, an inquest has heard.
Ava Hodgkinson, from Banks near Southport, died at Ormskirk & District General Hospital in December 2022 after developing sepsis that doctors believe was caused by Strep A.
The inquest at County Hall in Preston heard evidence from medical professionals about delays in obtaining antibiotics after her initial GP visit.
The hearing, which began on Monday, is addressing the circumstances surrounding the toddler's death and subsequent changes to medical procedures.
The toddler, from Banks near Southport, died in hospital in 2022
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Adam Hodgkinson took his daughter Ava to Beacon Primary Care in Ormskirk at lunchtime on December 13, 2022.
Subsequently, a GP requested a prescription for amoxicillin at 1pm, which was not issued until 2.04pm.
The pharmacy reported they did not have the required dose in stock and contacted the surgery for an alternative prescription, which was not provided until the following morning.
Ava finally received her first dose of antibiotics at 9.30am on December 14.
Hours later, her mother Jade rushed her to Ormskirk and District General Hospital, where Ava collapsed and died from overwhelming sepsis.
Dr Sharryn Gardner, who worked at Ormskirk and District General Hospital, was asked if earlier antibiotics would have made a difference.
She said: "You can never know and I don't think you can say. You don't know when it is suddenly going to become sepsis."
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However, when pressed specifically about whether Ava would have lived longer had antibiotics been started "as originally planned", Gardner was more definitive, saying: "It is more likely she would have lived for longer."
The inquest heard there was a nationwide shortage of amoxicillin at the time due to increased demand from Strep A cases.
Dr Rosalind Bonsor, GP partner at Beacon Primary Care, told the inquest that the need to start Ava on antibiotics "wasn't felt to be urgent" despite Strep A's prevalence.
"Many, many people were presenting worried about Strep A," Bonsor said. "People were worried on the background of the national news and they were bringing children in due to their concern."
The inquest was told that medications being out of stock "is a very common occurrence".
The direct cause of death was confirmed as "overwhelming sepsis", which doctors believe was likely caused by Group A Streptococcus infection (Stock)
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Following Ava's death, Bonsor confirmed the surgery had "amended policies so that antibiotic prescriptions for a child are completed the same day".
"We don't want this to ever happen again," she told the inquest, adding: "We don't want to be in a situation again where we are questioned over whether that day might have made a difference."
Staff across the surgery are now also regularly informed about any medications that are not available in stock.
The direct cause of death was confirmed as "overwhelming sepsis", which doctors believe was likely caused by Group A Streptococcus infection.
Although the bacteria was not found in Ava's samples, Gardner explained: "Ava's siblings both had it and a lot of people can carry it and be asymptomatic and then suddenly it becomes invasive and they develop sepsis."
The inquest continues at Preston's County Hall.
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