Toddler prescribed wrong drug in Brighton (From The Argus)

Toddler prescribed wrong drug in Brighton

8:00pm Thursday 19th February 2009

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An investigation has been launched after a girl of four was prescribed a potentially harmful drug usually given to alcoholics or cancer patients.

Anita Laker is now demanding an explanation from health bosses following the gaffe, which she says could have made her daughter Joni seriously ill.

Health bosses have apologised and are looking into what happened.

Ms Laker spotted the mistake when she went to pick up a repeat prescription for Joni from Ashton's Chemist in Seven Dials, Brighton.

The youngster should have been given oxybutynin, a muscle strengthening drug to help her long-term bladder problem.

But Ms Laker noticed the prescription was for two months worth of ondansetron, an anti-vomiting drug usually given to people before and after chemotherapy.

It can also be used to treat alcoholism.

Ms Laker, of Furze Hill, Brighton, said: "It was only because Joni had been given oxybutynin before that the alarm bells started ringing.

"I told the pharmacist that it did not sound right and I was not happy giving her a different drug to the one she normally had.

"He said it should be checked out and I decided to leave the prescription and go and make sure instead."

Joni is being seen by a consultant at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton, who decides what medication to give her.

The prescriptions are distributed by her local surgery, the Seven Dials Medical Centre.

Ms Laker, a beauty therapist, said: "After speaking to the hospital and my GP surgery, it soon became clear that somewhere the lines of communication had gone wrong and my daughter was put at risk.

"If this had been the first time Joni had been prescribed any drug I would have happily walked away and started giving her something that was totally inappropriate.

"I was furious when I realised what had happened and I'm still angry."

Ms Laker is writing to complain to the chief executives of both the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust (PCT), which is responsible for overseeing GP practices in the city.

In a joint statement, the hospital and PCT said: "This was clearly a mistake which should not have happened and we are extremely sorry for the anxiety it has caused.

"The hospital and PCT will work together to look in detail at how this error occurred and where necessary reinforce the guidance and safeguards that are in place around communicating prescriptions for medication."

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