Hospital's mistake changed family's life

If Ellis Jones, of Seaford, had been delivered minutes earlier he would have been perfectly healthy.

Now seven and a half years later Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust has admitted staff at the Royal Sussex County Hospital failed the family and as a result Ellis will receive substantial compensation, probably millions of pounds.

Ellis received life-changing brain injuries after a scar on mum Alison's uterus burst during labour.

Alison, 46, described what it felt like to hear the news: 'It was absolutely devastating as up until I gave birth everything had been fine.

'We knew straight away something was not right but the full extent wasn't clear until Ellis had a scan at three weeks old.

'I remember being asked if we had heard of cerebral palsy. We still didn't fully realise what it was.'

Ellis suffers from a severe version of cerebral palsy which means although he is as mentally advanced as other children of the same age, he cannot walk, talk or even sit down. Ellis is reliant on a wheelchair and will need round-the-clock care for the rest of his life.

'It has been very difficult. Ellis is a little star and deals with everything but obviously taking on the demands of family life, working, litigation have been very stressful,' Alison said.

'In all honesty I think when something like this happens you go through a grieving process of devastation, anger, resentment and of course finally acceptance. It has not just been about the affect on mine and my husband's life but also on our other children.

'I feel they have missed out on a lot of things as a result of what has happened," said Alison, whose other children are 10, 13 and 17.

HUSBAND

She added: 'The others are so brilliant with him. They bicker like normal siblings but they are also so loving and protective.

'My husband, Vincent, has also been brilliant.

'We get one night off a week respite for the rest of the family but other than this my husband and I share the care of Ellis. It is vital that we work together as a team. I do not know how we would have got through it if we hadn't have stuck together and without the support of my mum and my sister.'

The family plan to use the compensation money to pay for the highest levels of care for Ellis.

Alison said: 'No amount of compensation will recoup what as a family we have lost.

'But at least the mistake has now been acknowledged and we have some small justice for Ellis.

SOLICITOR

'I would say to anyone facing a similar situation they should stay focused, especially with litigation.

'It is about getting justice and getting what your child deserves and needs to have the best possible life. Our solicitors, Wynne Baxter, have been brilliant.'

Melanie Minter, head of Wynne Baxter's clinical negligence department, at their Brighton office, said: 'Ellis' parents and family have endured a great deal to reach the stage of obtaining compensation for Ellis to enable him to obtain the level of care he needs and purchase the equipment and other support to enable him to reach his full potential.

'The excellent outcome reinforces the need to instruct a specialist clinical negligence solicitor in cases such as Ellis'.'

Alison said: 'Nothing will ever be able to change what has happened. We would all rather live in a cardboard box with an able-bodied son than where we are now.

'However, Ellis gives us so much and is such a wonderful boy. As a mother I have to look at it that I am lucky to have such a lovely son.'