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'We are waiting for apology over daughter's death'

Lauren Hirst & Zoe Toase
BBC News, Manchester
Family handout Lila's parents are looking at photograph of Lila in a silver frame. They are both sitting on stools in their kitchen. Family handout
Lila's parents say more awareness is needed over the signs and symptoms of meningitis

The parents of a five-year-old girl who was sent home from hospital with suspected tonsillitis hours before dying from meningitis have said they are still waiting for a direct apology from the hospital.

Lila Marsland was examined by various medics over several hours at Tameside Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, on 27 December 2023.

But despite displaying warning signs of meningitis, no-one began the treatment which could have saved her life, Manchester South Coroner's Court heard.

A jury at her inquest ruled Lila's death was contributed to by hospital neglect. In a statement to the BBC, a hospital trust spokesperson said it "apologised unreservedly".

Lila's mother Rachael Mincherton, who was a nurse at the same hospital at the time and had queried whether she could have meningitis, said: "We've known for 17 months that she wasn't treated correctly but to hear neglect - I can't put into words really.

"Every question was just met with a different excuse.

"You know 'we haven't caused this'.

"There was no ability. We've never received an apology.

"The first time we [heard] an apology was when we saw it on the news after the inquest."

Family handout Lila is sitting in a yellow tractor and has one hand on the steering wheel. She is wearing a pink fluffy jacket and has sunglasses on.Family handout
Lila was described as "full of life" and "happy all of the time" by her mother

Ms Mincherton, of Hyde, Greater Manchester, took Lila to the hospital's A&E after finding her lethargic, with a headache and a worryingly fast heartbeat, the inquest heard.

She said she asked if she could possibly have meningitis.

About nine hours after arrrival, Lila was discharged from the observation ward and sent home with her mother.

"I felt reassured by them to be honest," said Ms Mincherton.

"She was seen by an advanced nurse practitioner, a junior doctor, a senior paediatric registrar and they all reassured me it wouldn't be meningitis and I put her to bed thinking it wasn't.

"I trusted them. She's had quite a few infections before this and she'd always received amazing care so I had no doubt not to trust them.

"I worked for that hospital - you don't really not trust people do you when you work with them":[]}