A first inquest, in 2016, concluded that two respiratory illnesses and prematurity caused Ben’s death, but the next year, after the Condons continued to press, the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS foundation trust admitted that a failure to give him antibiotics in a timely manner for the bacterial infection contributed to his death.
Troubling evidence that surfaced during the inquest included the suggestion that tissue samples may have been taken from Ben after he died – his parents presume for testing – even though they were told that the cause of his death was so straightforward that no postmortem examination was needed.
Sowersby said: “I find Ben should have been given antibiotics by 16 April at the latest,” and added that if he had been given antibiotics it would have stopped the pseudomonas infection entering his bloodstream.
The coroner said some medics had a “patronising approach” to Ben’s parents and that Jenny and Allyn were not told what was going on or why and were not involved in important decisions.
After a two-week inquest into the death of their son Ben in 2015, Jenny and Allyn Condon say the pain is even worse.
