HEALTH bosses have pledged to make improvements, following stinging criticism from the mother of a ten-year-old meningitis victim.

William Cressey, from Croft, near Darlington, died in February 2005, after doctors at Darlington Memorial Hospital said he had a migraine and sent him home with Calpol.

He was rushed back to hospital hours later by his frantic mother, Cheryl, but he had suffered a fatal seizure.

In the eight years since William’s death, Mrs Cressey has pursued complaints against the clinicians she feels failed her son.

Earlier this week, a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) tribunal cautioned William’s named nurse, Christopher Kirby, for failing to monitor the youngster’s condition adequately.

Mrs Cressey, who has made complaints about other nurses involved in William’s case, accused the NMC of treating her like any other witness, rather than a grieving mother.

She said: “I am very unhappy with the way [the NMC] have handled my complaints - I have had no response to emails I have sent asking for updates on the status of the case.

Despite asking that they keep me informed, I have not been told anything and I have not been told whether they have taken forward my complaints against the other nurses.

“It is unacceptable that I have been treated just like any other witness, not as the parent of a child that has died.”

Sarah Paige, the NMC’s director of fitness to practice, said: “Attending a hearing is never going to be a pleasant experience.

“We know we need to improve the experiences of people involved in them. We are fully committed to increasing the support witnesses and referrers get, including ensuring that they have a named contact throughout the process and better post-hearing support.

“We are very sorry that Mrs Cressey was not given the level of support she needed, particularly given that she had already been through such a dreadful experience.

“We hope the improvements we are making will help people in the future.”

The NMC statement received short shrift from Mrs Cressey, who added: “It does not change the way I feel. As the apology has not come directly to me, it has no real validity and shows that even an apology expressed by them comes to me via the press.”