Five members of staff have been suspended at a school after an 11-year-old boy had a fatal asthma attack. An inquest into Sam Linton's death last week, decided neglect at Offerton High School, in Stockport, "significantly contributed" to his death. It heard how Sam was made to sit in a corridor at the school as he struggled to breathe on 4 December 2007.
Stockport Council said five people were suspended but did not say if they were teachers or other staff members. The inquest on 17 March heard how valuable time had been lost as Sam was made to sit in the corridor. The boy died a few hours later in hospital.
The inquest ruled Sam's death was significantly contributed to by neglect on an "individual and systemic level". His parents have previously called for stronger implementation of first aid procedures at the school.
A joint statement from the school and Stockport Council and for Offerton School said that immediately after Sam's death, governors reviewed the way children with asthma and other medical conditions were handled. It added that systems and practices at the school had since been adapted too. "While the case did not meet the criteria for a Serious Case Review as set out in government guidance, the panel immediately commissioned an Independent Management Review (IMR) as all agreed that there were lessons to be learned."
The initial IMR report was completed in 2009 and its recommendations accepted by the Local Safeguarding Children's Board and action plans were put in place.
The council said progress had been made on the action plans and matters raised during the inquest will also be added to this process. Once the work is completed an executive summary will be published.
The council is working with Stockport Primary Care Trust to review the current policy on managing medical conditions and the updated version will be with schools at the start of the summer term.
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