A six-year-old girl has died after presenting three times to two different Sydney hospitals. The girl was discharged twice from Sydney Children’s Hospital and was admitted to Northern Beaches Hospital, where she later died of influenza.
00:00A young life cut short and a school community in mourning.
00:06She was so full of joy and life. She loved learning, she loved her friends, she loved her teachers, she loved her parents and we all loved her as well.
00:15The six year old was taken to Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick on Monday where she was assessed and discharged.
00:22She was brought back that same day, diagnosed with influenza and discharged again with advice for care at home.
00:29The girl was later admitted to Northern Beaches Hospital where she died on Tuesday.
00:35Her death will now be the subject of a joint serious adverse event review.
00:40We will do it in a transparent way, we will keep most importantly the family up to date and if there are things we can do better let me assure you we will.
00:48If there's been a breakdown in procedures, if there's been an incorrect diagnosis, if we've left that family and that child down we'll say it immediately but it does need to be investigated first.
00:58Sydney Children's Hospital says it will work with Northern Sydney Local Health District as part of the joint independent clinical governance process.
01:07While Northern Beaches Hospital says it will undertake the appropriate investigations in line with NSW health policy including a joint independent review.
01:16We need to know what happened, there are so many questions they must be answered and that will give confidence to parents everywhere.
01:23The school is providing pastoral care and psychological support to its students, their parents and staff.
01:29The close knit community here has rallied around the girls family with offers of meals and support and locals are gathering tomorrow to process this tragedy together.
01:39For life to be taken at such a young age is incomprehensible really.
01:43A tragic end and a community hoping for answers.
