The findings of an independent inquiry into the tragic death of a seven-year-old girl have finally been shared with her family.
The parents of a seven-year-old girl who died in hospital have received an independent report into the tragedy several months later than expected.
Aishwarya Aswath developed a fever on Good Friday and was taken to Perth Children’s Hospital the next day, but had to wait about two hours in the emergency department before she received treatment.
She died soon after from a bacterial infection.
An internal report made 11 recommendations, including improvement to the triage process, a clear way for parents to escalate concerns and a review of cultural awareness for staff.
But her devastated parents Aswath Chavittupara and Prasitha Sasidharan demanded an independent inquiry.
In May, that probe was announced and Health Minister Roger Cook said it was expected to take 10 weeks to complete. It has now been about 25 weeks.
The state government is expected to table the report in parliament on Tuesday.
The family’s spokesman Suresh Rajan said they had received a copy of the report late on Monday.
“After many months of meetings, the external panel report into the issues surrounding Aishwarya’s passing has now been handed to us (the family and I) this afternoon,” he wrote on social media.
“The family has indicated that we would like some time to get our minds around all this information and we also need to see what transpires in parliament tomorrow.
“After that, we will make our response known. We have only skimmed the report in the short time we have had it.”
The independent inquiry by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care focused on specific factors that contributed to Aishwarya’s death in April.
It also examined the approach to clinical governance, risk and adverse incidents at the hospital, as well as investigating the roles of clinicians, management and the executive, and their escalation of issues to the Child and Adolescent Health Service Board.
“No inquiry will reduce the loss suffered by Aishwarya’s family nor the distress of staff involved, but is vital we all get answers,” Mr Cook said at the time.
“The ultimate goal for everyone is to learn from this tragic case, not only to honour the memory of Aishwarya, but also to restore public confidence in our flagship children’s hospital.”
Originally published as Family of Aishwarya Aswath ‘need time’ after probe into the young girl’s tragic death in hospital
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