Trust criticised over child death

The care of a five-year-old boy who died at a specialist hospital “did not meet the standards expected”, an external review has said.

A report by consultancy Niche raises concerns about the treatment of Ayaan Haroon, who died at Sheffield Children’s Hospital in March 2023 after being admitted with a lower respiratory tract infection eight days earlier.

He had a history of breathing difficulties and had been hospitalised five times throughout his life for respiratory illnesses. He died in paediatric intensive care (PICU) from overwhelming disseminated adenovirus bronchopneumonia.

Concerns include a 12-hour delay in starting specialist oxygen therapy; delays in escalation to PICU, which may have “marginally” increased chances of survival; failure to respond to blood results showing significant deterioration; “weak” governance structures; and “substantially inadequate” bereavement support. However, the report suggests these were unlikely to change the outcome.

The review team also said: ”[The child’s] end of life care and the family’s experience did not meet the standards expected, or aspired to, by the trust.”

And they criticised record-keeping, warning the “practice of not recording names, dates and times… would not stand up to legal and professional scrutiny”.

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Source: HSJ, 1 May 2026