Parents of Eton student endured ‘agonising’ 10-month wait for post-mortem report

The parents of a 17-year-old boy who died after collapsing while playing sport at Eton said they waited an “agonising” 10 months for a full post-mortem examination report and have called for action from the Health Secretary.

Raphaël Pryor was “a fit and healthy young man” before he collapsed on the playing field at Eton College, Berkshire – one of Britain’s oldest and most exclusive public schools – and subsequently died.

His parents, Michael Pryor and Sabine Vandenbroucke, have urged Health Secretary James Murray to act on the “chronic shortage” of paediatric and perinatal pathologists.

These specialists carry out post-mortem examinations after the unexplained death of a baby or a child to help families to understand what happened and whether there are inherited conditions which could affect siblings or other relatives.

But a significant shortage of paediatric and perinatal pathologists nationwide means grieving families have to wait, delaying potentially lifesaving screenings for relatives who could be at risk.

A report from the Royal College of Pathologists, published in November last year, found there were just 52 paediatric and perinatal pathology consultants across the UK, with 37% of consultant posts vacant.

The Royal College of Pathologists warned Northern Ireland, the Midlands and the South West of England have no paediatric and perinatal pathology consultants, forcing families living in these areas to rely on services elsewhere.

The report also found one in five bereaved families waited at least six months for a post-mortem report to be produced after the death of their baby or child.

Raphaël’s parents and the Royal College of Pathologists are calling for resources to be set aside for 37 of paediatric and perinatal pathology consultant posts to start rebuilding the workforce.

The Government’s 10-year health plan for England committed to creating 1,000 specialty training posts over the next three years, focused on areas of greatest need.

Ms Vandenbroucke said: “Raphaël was our only child. He was full of life, active and loved by everyone who knew him. When he died so suddenly, our world stopped.

“Waiting 10 months for the post-mortem report was agony. How can a healthy boy drop dead just like that? What did we miss? Was there any inherited family condition?

“No family should have to go through such a long wait.

“Every delay means parents spending another day without knowing why their child died. It means more nights lying awake with the same unanswered questions.”

Mr Pryor said: “We cannot bring Raphaël back, but we can try to stop other families being left in the same painful uncertainty.

“The Government has already promised 1,000 new specialty training posts. We are asking for just 37 of them to be used to rebuild this vital service.

“When a child dies, every day without answers matters. The Health Secretary should not allow more families to be left waiting month after month.”

Dr Clair Evans of the Royal College of Pathologists said: “Paediatric and perinatal pathology services are in a state of collapse.

“Paediatric and perinatal pathologists are working continuously under significant pressure to provide high-quality care but this is leading to stress and burnout.

“This leads to the workforce unable to meet demand, leaving bereaved families waiting for answers after the death of a child.

“There are a substantial number of vacant consultant posts and a dwindling number of resident doctors coming into the specialty. Without urgent action, this critical situation will only get worse.

“Currently the vacancy rate is 37% across the specialty. Thirteen of the UK’s 52 consultants are also due to retire in the next five years, while only 13 doctors are currently training to replace them.

“We are asking Government to earmark just 37 of its promised new specialty training posts over the next five years for paediatric and perinatal pathology before more services collapse and more families are left waiting.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with Sabine and Michael following the devastating loss of Raphaël.

“Bereaved parents have experienced the unthinkable and any avoidable distress to families in this heartbreaking position is unacceptable.

“We will ensure the right people are in the right places in the NHS by creating 4,500 additional training placements as part of the agreement reached with resident doctors.

“We will prioritise training posts to ensure they focus on the areas of greatest need.”