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The preventable death of six-day-old Hayden Nguyen was caused by neglect and inadequate medical care, a coroner has ruled. Hayden passed away at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London in August 2016. Despite an internal investigation carried out by the hospital, a 2017 inquest into the death concluded that Hayden had died of natural causes. That decision was subsequently challenged by Hayden’s parents, Alex and Tum Nguyen, and, after obtaining permission through a High Court application, a second inquest was held. The process, including the challenge and legal fees, cost the Nguyens approximately £250,000.
After a three-week inquest at Surrey Coroner’s Court, Senior Coroner Richard Travers ruled that Hayden had “obvious needs that were simply not met”. When Hayden’s parents took him to hospital, they were concerned about a fever, but his condition quickly deteriorated. They then witnessed the baby having a cardiac arrest and within 12 hours of arriving at the hospital, Hayden passed away. Travers found that Hayden had received treatment well below the expected standards and, had he received the appropriate and timely care, the infant would have survived.
Hayden’s parents were incensed by the original decision and felt they had no choice but to challenge it. They stated the cost of legal proceedings was insignificant compared with the injustice they felt. Tum Nguyen, a social media executive, said: “I think it was incumbent on us to do it because I do know there are other families out there who can’t necessarily afford to do what we did.” Hayden’s mother, Alex Nguyen, 48, who owns a software company, added that other families might be unable to fight for answers due to being too immersed in grief.
The decision has reopened the possibility of recalling other cases, and the couple hopes their actions will allow other families to argue that coroners need to prioritize the bereaved family in every inquest. They ultimately hope that the second inquest will let them grieve their loss fully. Lesley Watts, the chief executive for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are deeply sorry for the loss of baby Hayden and offer our condolences to his family during this time. We remain committed to learning from any findings to improve our practices and ensure the highest standards of care for every patient.
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