Joshua Lee Allcock, a five-year-old boy with complex medical needs and a limited diet, developed severe dehydration after entering foster care and died on 3 January 2023 despite hospital treatment. Concerns included the lack of a formal autism diagnosis and related dietary support, variation in autism assessment practice, and the potential for the capillary refill time test to provide misleading reassurance when assessing dehydration in children with similar circumstances.
Health Centre
NHS England
Walsall Borough Council
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust