The heartbreaking situation involving two-year-old Ava Hodgkinson has prompted the government to explore potential changes in legislation that would permit pharmacists to provide alternative medications when the prescribed ones are unavailable.
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A two-year-old girl died after she was given an alternative medicine to treat her cough - after a national outbreak of Strep A led to a shortage in the antibiotics she needed.
Ava Hodgkinson went to see the GP on December 13 in 2022 after developing a chesty cough. Her parents Adam and Jade were confident she would receive the care she needed, but a nationwide surge in Strep A (Group A Streptococcus) meant pharmacies across the UK were experiencing a shortage of first-line antibiotic phenoxymethylpenicillin.
The GP instead prescribed amoxicillin, which Adam went to pick up at the pharmacy, only to find out the correct dosage was also out of stock. It wasn't until the next morning that a new prescription was available for collection. But just a few hours after taking her first dose, Ava deteriorated, and as mum Jade carried her into A&E at Ormskirk & District General Hospital, the two-year-old went into cardiac arrest and sadly died.
The tragic case has led the government to "actively consider" changing laws which would allow pharmacists to dispense alternative denominations of medications if that which was originally prescribed isn't available, an inquest heard this week.
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Area Coroner Chris Long has announced his intention to submit a Report to Prevent Future Deaths to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, seeking information on the potential timing and methods for amending the law. At present, pharmacists are permitted to prescribe an alternative medication only when the government has introduced a Serious Shortage Protocol for drugs that are in short supply or unavailable.
After the inquest, Ava's parents, who reside in Banks near Southport, released a poignant statement describing her as "the purest of souls." Adam and Jade expressed their grief, stating, “Words cannot capture the depth of sorrow and devastation we experience as a family following the loss of our precious daughter, Ava Grace. Ava was a beacon of beauty, both internally and externally — a truly pure soul; gentle, kind, and loving. Her passion for nature, wildlife, and the people around her was evident in everything she did.”
"Finding comfort can be a challenge, yet we draw some solace from the increased awareness surrounding Strep A, its serious implications, and the critical necessity for immediate treatment options for children. Ava faced a setback due to the lack of antibiotics, and we must ensure that no other child experiences this kind of failure in the future."
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Ava's parents received assistance and representation from expert medical negligence attorneys during the entire inquest proceedings.
Bryony Doyle, a solicitor specializing in medical negligence at JMW, stated: “Jade and Adam have demonstrated remarkable strength and courage while enduring unimaginable suffering, a burden that they and Ava’s siblings will bear for the rest of their lives.”
“The inquest, though deeply distressing for the family, has been instrumental in uncovering the circumstances surrounding Ava's situation and has offered some of the clarity they were longing for. I sincerely hope that Ava's experience will lead to reforms that safeguard other patients and guarantee timely access to antibiotics after a prescription is issued.”
"We sincerely appreciate the jury for their thorough examination of Ava's treatment, as well as the coroner's investigation, which we hope will help prevent other families from enduring the same pain that Ava's family has faced."
