The mother of a baby who died of pneumonia while in the care of a privatised healthcare provider has backed calls for a public inquiry into how the company was awarded an NHS contract.
Baby Axel Peanberg King died aged 54 days last November when a cold which developed into pneumonia went untreated despite repeated visits to an out-of-hours doctors’ GP service run by Harmoni. While waiting to see a doctor at the Whittington Hospital, a receptionist from Harmoni told Axel’s mum to wait her turn – until an off-duty nurse spotted the danger the baby was in.
Last month members of Camden Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) demanded a full investigation into how the contract was awarded to Harmoni over rivals Haverstock Health – a consortium of local doctors based in Kentish Town.
Camden Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has defended the procurement process.
Axel’s mother, Mrs Peanberg King, and KONP activists will lobby Camden Council’s health scrutiny committee on Tuesday.
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