Police are investigating the death of a seven-year-old boy from Ipswich who died just days after a routine operation at a private hospital in London.

Ipswich Star: Seven-year-old James Dwerryhouse, with his mother Marguerite and father John at Disneyland, who died after staff at the private Portland Hospital in London switched off vital breathing equipment. Picture: Family of James Dwerryhouse/PRESS ASSOCIATION.Seven-year-old James Dwerryhouse, with his mother Marguerite and father John at Disneyland, who died after staff at the private Portland Hospital in London switched off vital breathing equipment. Picture: Family of James Dwerryhouse/PRESS ASSOCIATION.

James Dwerryhouse, who attended Thomas Wolsey School and was a member of the Ipswich Rainbow Cubs, was described as a “cheeky, funny, happy and sometimes mischievous boy” by his family following the incident last August.

He suffered brain damage as a result of cardiac arrest after vital equipment monitoring his breathing overnight was turned off for almost three hours at the private Portland Hospital in London.

He had been admitted for a routine bowel operation, which was successful, but was found unresponsive in his bed just hours after talking to his brothers and sisters on Facetime.

He was transferred to the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) Treehouse Hospice in St Augustine’s Gardens. He died at the hospice on August 27.

His family, including parents Marguerite and John, have described him as a “cheeky, funny, happy and sometimes mischievous boy”. James lived with numerous health conditions, including having to be fed through a tube, bowel problems, epilepsy and hearing and sight impairment.

Mrs Dwerryhouse said: “It has been completely heart-breaking. James had health issues and needed a lot of health support in his life, but he was full of life, cheeky, funny, happy and occasionally mischievous, like all little boys.

“Only days earlier, he’d been to a summer club and he’d been chasing around, up and down the slides and having a great time. He wasn’t a fragile boy at all, he wasn’t poorly and he certainly wasn’t a boy who was at risk of dying.

Ipswich Star: Seven-year-old James Dwerryhouse, who died after staff at the private Portland Hospital in London switched off vital breathing equipment. Picture: Family of James Dwerryhouse/PRESS ASSOCIATION.Seven-year-old James Dwerryhouse, who died after staff at the private Portland Hospital in London switched off vital breathing equipment. Picture: Family of James Dwerryhouse/PRESS ASSOCIATION.

“Everybody loved him, from his school to those who supported his health. This was a routine operation, and the operation itself was a complete success.

“To then lose him simply because hospital staff haven’t cared for him and checked on him as they should is something we cannot accept and never will.”

James had gone to the Portland Hospital for an operation to create a colostomy bag so he could prepare for moving into a new class at school

He needed the equipment which monitors his breathing as he suffered from sleep apnoea, which can cause life-threatening stoppages in breathing.

But a few hours later, he was found unresponsive in his bed at the private hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit.

Eight staff, a mixture of employees and agency staff, were caring for six children overnight when the incident happened on August 25 last year.

On a JustGiving fundraising page, named ‘James’ Treehouse Twilight Walk’ and created last October by Sarah Dodsworth, more than £1,200 has been raised for EACH.

Ipswich Star: Seven-year-old James Dwerryhouse, who died after staff at the private Portland Hospital in London switched off vital breathing equipment. Picture: Family of James Dwerryhouse/PRESS ASSOCIATION.Seven-year-old James Dwerryhouse, who died after staff at the private Portland Hospital in London switched off vital breathing equipment. Picture: Family of James Dwerryhouse/PRESS ASSOCIATION.

The page attributes a statement from Beth, an older sister of James, which states: “James was the happiest little boy around and brought a smile to everyone’s face; he loved to go to the park to feed the squirrels and was a massive Mr Tumble fan. He touched so many lives and made a huge impact on everyone for the short time he was with us.

“How The Treehouse helped us: James was under the care of the Treehouse Children’s hospice in Ipswich for many years, they provided respite care for my parents, and always a shoulder to lean on when it was needed.

“EACH allowed us to create everlasting memories as a family in James final moments. The lengths they go to, to support every person and family in their care is incredible. We are eternally grateful, and so want to repay them in the only way we can – raising money so that they can continue their amazing work with those that need it.”

Hudgell solicitors, which is representing the family, said Portland Hospital staff have since given conflicting accounts of what happened.

The serious incident report by the hospital shows staff took the decision to remove the monitoring equipment at 1.15am without consulting a more senior member of staff.

It said staff also had breaks during the night shift which were longer than hospital rules permitted. They also failed to formally complete and document handovers of their responsibilities.

The investigation found failures in record-keeping, with failure to document observations of James throughout the night.

Ipswich Star: James Dwerryhouse. Picture: MARGUERITE DWERRYHOUSEJames Dwerryhouse. Picture: MARGUERITE DWERRYHOUSE (Image: Archant)

Staff also immediately turned off sounding alarms when they reconnected James’ monitoring equipment at 3.58am.

There is also uncertainty over how long it took staff to call for help.

The report concluded that the root cause of James’ death “appears to be the removal of vital signs monitoring between 1.15am and 3.58am, as this resulted in the inability to be alerted to a suspected deterioration in the child’s respiratory condition and reducing oxygen saturations.”

On the night James died, his father, John, had left his beside in the early hours. But just hours later, he and his wife Marguerite were told their son was unlikely to recover.

James’ family are now launching legal action against HCA Healthcare UK, which runs the Portland Hospital.

Solicitor Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said an inquest is still to be held and there are many questions which need serious investigation.

“What cannot be disputed in this case is that a huge, unforgivable error was made in that James’ monitoring equipment was turned off when it should have remained on at all times,” she said.

Ipswich Star: James Dwerryhouse. Picture: MARGUERITE DWERRYHOUSEJames Dwerryhouse. Picture: MARGUERITE DWERRYHOUSE (Image: Archant)

“Conflicting accounts have been provided as to what exactly happened when James was found not breathing.

“This means it has yet to be made clear whether the alarm was raised immediately, or whether there was a 20-minute delay, which obviously could have had a big impact on James’s chances of survival.”

A spokesman for Portland Hospital said: “We send our deepest sympathy to the family of James Dwerryhouse.

“We are co-operating with all investigations, and we are unable to comment further until they are completed.”

A statement from Scotland Yard said: “The boy was admitted to a central London hospital on Wednesday August 24.

“The death was passed onto the Westminster Coroner and Westminster CID officers are undertaking inquiries on behalf of the coroner.

“The death is deemed to be non-suspicious. No one has been arrested.”

Ipswich Star: James Dwerryhouse. Picture: MARGUERITE DWERRYHOUSEJames Dwerryhouse. Picture: MARGUERITE DWERRYHOUSE (Image: Archant)

An EACH spokesman said: “The care and support EACH delivers to children, young people and families is confidential, and it would therefore be inappropriate for us to comment.”