Ruby-Mai Bell, nine years old, was immediately taken to the hospital after she was accidentally given a potent Class A drug called methadone, according to SWNS.
Ruby-Mai was supposed to be given antibiotics from Manor Pharmacy in The Meadows, Nottingham. Instead, she was given methadone, a drug typically given to heroin addicts to help banish their addiction.
Donna Buckley, her mom, said, “Ruby went upstairs to lie down and I went to check on her later and she was really sleepy. I noticed her eyes were rolling around and I thought I would not give her any more medicine.”
She continued, “There was then a knock at the door and it was the pharmacist. He said that there had been a mix up and ‘have we got the medicine he gave to Ruby this morning?’ He said she will be fine but wanted a private meeting at the pharmacy the next day.”
Donna, 36 years old, said that Ruby-Mai had a water infection, that’s why she was prescribed with antibiotics. She didn’t know that they were given the wrong drug.
Donna said, “I shouted down to Ruby’s Dad, ‘he’s given her methadone.’ He ran upstairs, whipped Ruby out of her bed to take her to A&E. I was hysterical. The state I was in was unreal. I thought I was going to lose my daughter when I heard that word, methadone.”
She continued, “The worst thing was the doctors saying to me that If I’d have given her those next two spoonfuls it would be completely different. The only reason I did not give her any more was because she was so sleepy.”
“It is still in my head about what if we gave her more. We would have lost her.”
Ralph Bell, Ruby-Mai’s dad, said, “What happened was awful. It was not until he came back a second time that we knew. As soon as I knew what had happened I rushed up the stairs, got her in the car and got her to hospital.”
Ralph, 38 years old, immediately took his daughter to the Queen’s Medical Center in Nottingham. Ruby-Mai had fully recovered from the horrifying incident. Although, now, she’s a little bit scared in taking medicine.
Ruby-Mai said, “It was really weird. At first I didn’t know where I was until I saw that I was on a hospital bed. I was all dizzy and I felt all funny. Mum said that grandma came on the day but I can’t remember anything.”
The little girl continued, “I am scared to take medicine now because I took the wrong medicine and it made me really poorly. But I am back at school now and I am enjoying it.”
Matt Goode, their lawyer, said, “I have never heard of anything like this before. It is more startling because methadone is used for people with a heroin addiction. They normally administrate to the patient directly in the pharmacy.”
He continued, “The fact that these parents have been given the whole bottle of methadone is horrendous. It is just madness. You have given a child a Class A drug.”
The National Health Service in London had already started an investigation to Ruby-Mai’s case.
Manor Pharmacy released a statement saying: “We apologize unreservedly to the patient and her family for this error. This is an isolated incident.”
The statement continued, “Nevertheless, we will learn from it and take steps to minimize the risk of a similar incident happening in the future. An internal investigation is already underway and the outcome will be shared with the family as soon as possible.”
Nottinghamshire Police also joined NHS in investigating the case. A spokesperson for the police said, “Inquiries are ongoing and Nottinghamshire Police is liaising with other agencies under local authority child protection procedures.”
Oliver Newbould, director for NHS England North Midlands, said, “NHS England has been made aware of a potential drug dispensing error at the pharmacy. Such incidents are very rare and a full investigation is underway by the pharmacy.
Newbould continued, “NHS England will ensure that as a result of this investigation, appropriate actions are taken and any lessons to be learned are shared.”
Although the incident was apparently rare, this problem should’ve never happened at all. The incorrect intake of a drug can potentially lead to death. Ruby-Mai was fortunate enough to still be alive.
