Doctor says he’s thought about a meningitis misdiagnosis ‘every day since’ the toddler’s death: inquest
It was Dr Paul Bumford's first shift as a locum at the hospital which was in the midst of pandemic 'chaos', coroner hears.
A doctor who misdiagnosed a 19-month-old with gastroenteritis, days before the toddler died of meningitis, says it was a “huge error” he has thought about every day since it happened.
Dr Paul Bumford started his first shift as an ED locum at Wangaratta Hospital in rural Victoria about an hour after Noah Souvatzis was admitted.
The toddler had been holidaying with his parents when he first became ill — vomiting and crying with a high fever.
Severely lethargic and unable to keep fluids down, on 30 December 2021 he was initially taken to an urgent care centre, the Alpine Health Clinic in Myrtleford.
