The father of a 4-year-old who died after initially being sent home from hospital has spoken of his frustration with the health system as it once again comes under pressure this winter.

In September last year, Neil Sebastian “Sebby” Chua died just five days after falling ill in Wellington. A pathologist’s early opinion was that Sebby died of complications from sepsis caused by tonsillitis and pharyngitis.

Speaking with Newstalk ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills today, Sebby’s father Neil Arvin Chua was emotional as he recounted what happened.

“Our son was crying and was like ‘Mummy can you please hug me? Mummy, please hug me, Mummy I want to see Daddy’,” Chua said.

Sebby’s mother is a registered nurse and was alone in hospital with her son because Chua had to wait in the car park due to the hospital’s one-parent rule.

Arvin and Abegail Chua pictured with their son's Sedric, left, and Sebby, before Sebby's death aged 4.

Asked how frustrating it was to hear recent reports of some people waiting up to 12 hours in emergency departments at Wellington hospitals, Chua sighed in exasperation.

“It’s just really terrible, it’s just really hard to comprehend. Especially us, because we came into this country to help the health system but look what the health system did to our family. It’s just really unfair not just for us but for [everyone].”

Hutt Hospital and Te Pae Tiaki Wellington emergency departments are currently seeing an average of 320 people a day for winter-related and other needs. Wait times range from minutes to see a doctor to several hours.

Meanwhile, 76 pharmacies across the district are signed up to a scheme allowing them to treat minor conditions and ease pressure on GPs and hospital services over the winter months.

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners is reporting national surveillance swabs for flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has reached a 40 per cent positivity rate which is considered high and nearing the peak of the season.

Arvin and Abegail Chua in Stokes Valley in Wellington. Photo / Dave Lintott, lintottphoto.co.nz

The first sign something was wrong with Sebby was when he complained of a sore neck, developed a fever and said it “tastes like blood” when swallowing.

His mother Abegail Chua took him to Kenepuru Hospital the following day, where he was diagnosed with wry neck and a viral infection, and prescribed rest and pain relief.

The doctor looked down Sebby’s throat, describing it as “nice and pink”, but his mother was concerned his neck was swollen and asked for a second look.

“The doctor said, ‘Oh it’s okay, it looks fine’.

Sebby was taken home and the next day his arms and legs had become swollen, so his parents took him to Wellington Regional Hospital, where he was admitted to the emergency department at 11.16am.

He was seen by a doctor about noon, given paracetamol and a paediatric doctor referral was made.

About two hours later a second doctor assessed Sebby. His mother says that she was told by one doctor at about 3.30pm or 4pm that “you have nothing to worry about”.

When the boy’s condition worsened and staff couldn’t get a reading of his oxygen levels, Sebby was moved to Resus between 5.22pm and 5.44pm.

By 6.57pm Chua was watching medical staff try to save Sebby’s life.

Their active and chatty son, who loved people as much as they loved him, was pronounced dead at 7.30pm, Chua said.

Chua said the case was still before the coroner and the Health & Disability Commissioner, so the family is still waiting for answers.

Te Whatu Ora Capital & Coast interim district director John Tait said last year it was not appropriate to comment publicly while the case was still before these authorities.

“We recognise how distressing it can be to lose a loved one in difficult circumstances, and particularly a young child. We express our sincerest sympathies to Neil’s family.”

Like other areas, they continued to experience pressure on their services due to factors such as winter ailments, increased demand and staff illness, Tait said.

“Patient safety and wellbeing is our highest priority and we have measures, such as service plans, in place to ensure the best level of care possible. Staff work extremely hard to keep patients safe and supported, and to deliver safe care and treatment at all times.”

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.