20 Feb 2015 Lexie Louise Harrison · Prevention of Future Deaths report West Yorkshire Eastern
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Concerns raised 9 Lack of local policy and/or guidelines for paediatric endoscopic banding of oesophageal varices View source Failure to standardise Consultant practice for paediatric endoscopic banding of oesophageal varices View source Lack of defined Consultant competency and supervision criteria for the procedure View source Lack of standardised post-endoscopy care requirements View source Lack of a defined pre-procedure assessment process for banding programme patients View source Lack of defined patient suitability criteria for banding programmes View source Lack of defined criteria for which varices should undergo banding View source Lack of defined assessment and management steps for variceal bleeding View source Lack of precise definitions of oesophageal varix grades View source See 6 more concerns
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Lexie Louise Harrison · Prevention of Future Deaths report
This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.
Report summary
Lexie Louise Harrison, who had Infantile Refsum Disease, underwent an unsuccessful attempt to band an oesophageal varix on 30 May 2013, which caused trauma and extensive bleeding. Her condition deteriorated and she died at home on 18 June 2013; the medical cause of death was recorded as liver failure and Infantile Refsum Disease. The concerns included the absence of relevant policies or guidelines at two trusts and a lack of standardisation in practice, including decisions about banding, assessment, post-endoscopy care, management of bleeding, and consultant competence.
Read the report on judiciary.uk
× Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of local policy and/or guidelines for paediatric endoscopic banding of oesophageal varices
Wider context from the report “(1) Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has a policy in place and/or guidelines dealing with paediatric endoscopy procedures for the banding of an oesophageal varix/oesophageal varices (“the procedure”). Neither Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust nor Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has such a policy and/or guidelines. Both of the latter Trusts have undertaken the said procedure for many years.
(2) There is no standardisation of practises (either locally or nationally) adopted by Consultants when undertaking the said procedure, by reason predominantly of there being no national policy and/or guidelines in relation thereto. Such a national policy and/or guidelines should address the following:-
(a) Precise definitions of the grades of oesophageal varices;
(b) Which grades of varices should be subject to banding and which should not;
(c) Those patients who are to be deemed suitable for placing on a banding programme and those who are not;
(d) Once a patient is placed on a banding programme, the assessment process to be adopted prior to the said patient undergoing each procedure;
(e) Post endoscopy care, for example, the administration of sucralfate, frequency of basic observations;
(f) The steps to be taken to properly assess for and manage variceal bleeding, for example, the immediate use of antibiotics;
(g) The circumstances in which a Consultant is deemed to be competent to undertake the procedure alone or with supervision.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Failure to standardise Consultant practice for paediatric endoscopic banding of oesophageal varices
Wider context from the report “(1) Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has a policy in place and/or guidelines dealing with paediatric endoscopy procedures for the banding of an oesophageal varix/oesophageal varices (“the procedure”). Neither Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust nor Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has such a policy and/or guidelines. Both of the latter Trusts have undertaken the said procedure for many years.
(2) There is no standardisation of practises (either locally or nationally) adopted by Consultants when undertaking the said procedure , by reason predominantly of there being no national policy and/or guidelines in relation thereto. Such a national policy and/or guidelines should address the following:-
(a) Precise definitions of the grades of oesophageal varices;
(b) Which grades of varices should be subject to banding and which should not;
(c) Those patients who are to be deemed suitable for placing on a banding programme and those who are not;
(d) Once a patient is placed on a banding programme, the assessment process to be adopted prior to the said patient undergoing each procedure;
(e) Post endoscopy care, for example, the administration of sucralfate, frequency of basic observations;
(f) The steps to be taken to properly assess for and manage variceal bleeding, for example, the immediate use of antibiotics;
(g) The circumstances in which a Consultant is deemed to be competent to undertake the procedure alone or with supervision.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of defined Consultant competency and supervision criteria for the procedure
Wider context from the report “(1) Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has a policy in place and/or guidelines dealing with paediatric endoscopy procedures for the banding of an oesophageal varix/oesophageal varices (“the procedure”). Neither Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust nor Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has such a policy and/or guidelines. Both of the latter Trusts have undertaken the said procedure for many years.
(2) There is no standardisation of practises (either locally or nationally) adopted by Consultants when undertaking the said procedure, by reason predominantly of there being no national policy and/or guidelines in relation thereto. Such a national policy and/or guidelines should address the following:-
(a) Precise definitions of the grades of oesophageal varices;
(b) Which grades of varices should be subject to banding and which should not;
(c) Those patients who are to be deemed suitable for placing on a banding programme and those who are not;
(d) Once a patient is placed on a banding programme, the assessment process to be adopted prior to the said patient undergoing each procedure;
(e) Post endoscopy care, for example, the administration of sucralfate, frequency of basic observations;
(f) The steps to be taken to properly assess for and manage variceal bleeding, for example, the immediate use of antibiotics;
(g) The circumstances in which a Consultant is deemed to be competent to undertake the procedure alone or with supervision.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of standardised post-endoscopy care requirements
Wider context from the report “(1) Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has a policy in place and/or guidelines dealing with paediatric endoscopy procedures for the banding of an oesophageal varix/oesophageal varices (“the procedure”). Neither Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust nor Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has such a policy and/or guidelines. Both of the latter Trusts have undertaken the said procedure for many years.
(2) There is no standardisation of practises (either locally or nationally) adopted by Consultants when undertaking the said procedure, by reason predominantly of there being no national policy and/or guidelines in relation thereto. Such a national policy and/or guidelines should address the following:-
(a) Precise definitions of the grades of oesophageal varices;
(b) Which grades of varices should be subject to banding and which should not;
(c) Those patients who are to be deemed suitable for placing on a banding programme and those who are not;
(d) Once a patient is placed on a banding programme, the assessment process to be adopted prior to the said patient undergoing each procedure;
(e) Post endoscopy care, for example, the administration of sucralfate, frequency of basic observations;
(f) The steps to be taken to properly assess for and manage variceal bleeding, for example, the immediate use of antibiotics;
(g) The circumstances in which a Consultant is deemed to be competent to undertake the procedure alone or with supervision.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of a defined pre-procedure assessment process for banding programme patients
Wider context from the report “(1) Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has a policy in place and/or guidelines dealing with paediatric endoscopy procedures for the banding of an oesophageal varix/oesophageal varices (“the procedure”). Neither Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust nor Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has such a policy and/or guidelines. Both of the latter Trusts have undertaken the said procedure for many years.
(2) There is no standardisation of practises (either locally or nationally) adopted by Consultants when undertaking the said procedure, by reason predominantly of there being no national policy and/or guidelines in relation thereto. Such a national policy and/or guidelines should address the following:-
(a) Precise definitions of the grades of oesophageal varices;
(b) Which grades of varices should be subject to banding and which should not;
(c) Those patients who are to be deemed suitable for placing on a banding programme and those who are not;
(d) Once a patient is placed on a banding programme, the assessment process to be adopted prior to the said patient undergoing each procedure;
(e) Post endoscopy care, for example, the administration of sucralfate, frequency of basic observations;
(f) The steps to be taken to properly assess for and manage variceal bleeding, for example, the immediate use of antibiotics;
(g) The circumstances in which a Consultant is deemed to be competent to undertake the procedure alone or with supervision.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of defined patient suitability criteria for banding programmes
Wider context from the report “(1) Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has a policy in place and/or guidelines dealing with paediatric endoscopy procedures for the banding of an oesophageal varix/oesophageal varices (“the procedure”). Neither Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust nor Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has such a policy and/or guidelines. Both of the latter Trusts have undertaken the said procedure for many years.
(2) There is no standardisation of practises (either locally or nationally) adopted by Consultants when undertaking the said procedure, by reason predominantly of there being no national policy and/or guidelines in relation thereto. Such a national policy and/or guidelines should address the following:-
(a) Precise definitions of the grades of oesophageal varices;
(b) Which grades of varices should be subject to banding and which should not;
(c) Those patients who are to be deemed suitable for placing on a banding programme and those who are not;
(d) Once a patient is placed on a banding programme, the assessment process to be adopted prior to the said patient undergoing each procedure;
(e) Post endoscopy care, for example, the administration of sucralfate, frequency of basic observations;
(f) The steps to be taken to properly assess for and manage variceal bleeding, for example, the immediate use of antibiotics;
(g) The circumstances in which a Consultant is deemed to be competent to undertake the procedure alone or with supervision.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of defined criteria for which varices should undergo banding
Wider context from the report “(1) Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has a policy in place and/or guidelines dealing with paediatric endoscopy procedures for the banding of an oesophageal varix/oesophageal varices (“the procedure”). Neither Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust nor Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has such a policy and/or guidelines. Both of the latter Trusts have undertaken the said procedure for many years.
(2) There is no standardisation of practises (either locally or nationally) adopted by Consultants when undertaking the said procedure, by reason predominantly of there being no national policy and/or guidelines in relation thereto. Such a national policy and/or guidelines should address the following:-
(a) Precise definitions of the grades of oesophageal varices;
(b) Which grades of varices should be subject to banding and which should not;
(c) Those patients who are to be deemed suitable for placing on a banding programme and those who are not;
(d) Once a patient is placed on a banding programme, the assessment process to be adopted prior to the said patient undergoing each procedure;
(e) Post endoscopy care, for example, the administration of sucralfate, frequency of basic observations;
(f) The steps to be taken to properly assess for and manage variceal bleeding, for example, the immediate use of antibiotics;
(g) The circumstances in which a Consultant is deemed to be competent to undertake the procedure alone or with supervision.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of defined assessment and management steps for variceal bleeding
Wider context from the report “(1) Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has a policy in place and/or guidelines dealing with paediatric endoscopy procedures for the banding of an oesophageal varix/oesophageal varices (“the procedure”). Neither Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust nor Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has such a policy and/or guidelines. Both of the latter Trusts have undertaken the said procedure for many years.
(2) There is no standardisation of practises (either locally or nationally) adopted by Consultants when undertaking the said procedure, by reason predominantly of there being no national policy and/or guidelines in relation thereto. Such a national policy and/or guidelines should address the following:-
(a) Precise definitions of the grades of oesophageal varices;
(b) Which grades of varices should be subject to banding and which should not;
(c) Those patients who are to be deemed suitable for placing on a banding programme and those who are not;
(d) Once a patient is placed on a banding programme, the assessment process to be adopted prior to the said patient undergoing each procedure;
(e) Post endoscopy care, for example, the administration of sucralfate, frequency of basic observations;
(f) The steps to be taken to properly assess for and manage variceal bleeding, for example, the immediate use of antibiotics;
(g) The circumstances in which a Consultant is deemed to be competent to undertake the procedure alone or with supervision.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of precise definitions of oesophageal varix grades
Wider context from the report “(1) Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has a policy in place and/or guidelines dealing with paediatric endoscopy procedures for the banding of an oesophageal varix/oesophageal varices (“the procedure”). Neither Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust nor Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has such a policy and/or guidelines. Both of the latter Trusts have undertaken the said procedure for many years.
(2) There is no standardisation of practises (either locally or nationally) adopted by Consultants when undertaking the said procedure, by reason predominantly of there being no national policy and/or guidelines in relation thereto. Such a national policy and/or guidelines should address the following:-
(a) Precise definitions of the grades of oesophageal varices;
(b) Which grades of varices should be subject to banding and which should not;
(c) Those patients who are to be deemed suitable for placing on a banding programme and those who are not;
(d) Once a patient is placed on a banding programme, the assessment process to be adopted prior to the said patient undergoing each procedure;
(e) Post endoscopy care, for example, the administration of sucralfate, frequency of basic observations;
(f) The steps to be taken to properly assess for and manage variceal bleeding, for example, the immediate use of antibiotics;
(g) The circumstances in which a Consultant is deemed to be competent to undertake the procedure alone or with supervision.
” Open source report