Miss A complained about the care of her young son, Baby B, before and after an operation to correct a birth defect in his urethra.
What happened
Baby B's surgery was delayed, so he fasted for longer than necessary. He then suffered significant bleeding after his operation.
Staff tried to control the bleeding, but this was unsuccessful, and he had emergency surgery shortly after. Baby B made a good recovery.
What we found
There were no errors in the first surgery that could account for Baby B's bleeding, and it is a known complication of the type of surgery he had. There were also no failings in Baby B's postoperative care, and staff carried out emergency surgery in a timely manner.
Because of the delays to his surgery, Baby B was fasted from liquids for longer than necessary. This was not in line with the relevant guidelines.
As Baby B experienced a significant complication, the Trust could have given his parents the chance to talk to his surgeon. The Trust's failure to do this made Baby B's parents' distress worse, and left them feeling something had gone wrong with the surgery.
Putting it right
Following our investigation, the Trust agreed to take further steps to make sure that children do not fast excessively.
It also agreed to make sure that it offers parents the opportunity to meet clinical staff if a child experiences a surgical complication.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Cambridgeshire
Not applicable
Recommendation to learn lessons or draw up an action plan