Family to sue health board after baby’s ‘preventable’ Glan Clwyd death

Lucas Thomas Munslow, from Flint, was nine months old when he died of acute bacterial meningitis at the Bodelwyddan hospital aged nine months late on May 18, 2019.

Less than 24 hours earlier, his parents had been told by staff at the hospital that he had viral tonsillitis but was safe to return home.

After an inquest into his death in November, John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales East and Central, said that “poor practice” had been exhibited by staff, and that it is “probable” that Lucas’ death could have been prevented.

Lucas Munslow (Image: Family handout)

Lucas’ parents, Nathan and Kimberley Munslow, assisted by Rhyl-based Gamlins Solicitors, are to now write a letter of claim to BCUHB.

If an out-of-court settlement cannot be reached, the matter may proceed to either the County Court or the High Court.

A statement made on behalf of Lucas’ family following the inquest read: “We lost Lucas, our first-born baby boy, in circumstances that could have been avoided.

“We have been left deeply traumatised by the death of Lucas and continue to suffer as we try to come to terms with our loss. We hope that this finding leads to key learnings at the trust.

“We thank the coroner, Mr John Gittins, and welcome his finding of the death of our son being preventable.”

BCUHB’s executive medical director, Dr Nick Lyons, said: “Firstly, I would like to offer my sincere and heartfelt condolences to Lucas’ parents and wider family, on behalf of the health board.

“We accept the coroner’s findings unreservedly and have already reviewed the circumstances surrounding Lucas’s treatment and identified where we can improve our diagnostic procedures in extremely rare cases such as this.

“However, we will look closely at the coroner’s comments from his finding of fact, to see if there are additional areas of learning which will help patients in the future.”