Head nurse describes 'chaotic' night baby died in Kent hospital inquest

An inquest into the death of seven-month-old Tommy Kneebone heard that the night at Tunbridge Wells Hospital was chaotic, with staff scrambling to respond as the infant deteriorated. Tommy died at 04:20 on 21 January 2023 at the Pembury hospital.

Head nurse Ronald Carrido described the shift as chaotic and said he called for consultant help when there was no improvement in Tommy’s condition. The hearing also heard from Tommy's mother, Shanice Kneebone, who has said that her concerns about her son's health were not taken seriously at the hospital. The inquest at Kent and Medway Coroner's Court in Maidstone continues.

At the hearing, the paediatric consultant on duty, Dr Chhaya Patankar, described what happened when she arrived in Tommy’s room around 19:00 GMT. She said Tommy looked at her with bright eyes and that the examination showed mild respiratory distress, which she said fit with what she had been told. She acknowledged that there was a lack of the broader picture and that the child's full condition had not been fully understood at that moment. She noted that Tommy responded to examination in a way expected for a baby.

The doctor said she listened to his heartbeat and checked his liver, but the overall clinical picture did not immediately reveal an underlying heart problem. Family handouts show that the cough had first appeared after a holiday abroad in October 2022. The court has heard that Tommy’s underlying cardiomyopathy had not been identified by the time of his death. Tommy died at 04:20 on 21 January. The inquest has heard from other medical staff about the events of that night, and the proceedings are ongoing.

Shanice Kneebone has described feeling that staff did not take her concerns seriously when she sought care for Tommy in the weeks before his death, including visits to a GP and to A&E. The inquest in Maidstone continues to explore whether there were missed warning signs and whether the hospital’s response met expected standards for a patient with possible cardiac symptoms.

The inquest is expected to consider further evidence and hear from additional witnesses in the coming days as it investigates the events surrounding the night Tommy Kneebone died. The court has emphasized that while Tommy’s death is under review, the proceedings are fact-finding and aim to determine any contributing factors and whether care aligned with clinical guidelines.