Boy Wins £50,000 after Losing Eye Due to Late Diagnosis

A three-year-old boy has been awarded damages of £50,000 after a hospital’s administrative error delayed the detection of a cancerous tumour in his right eye, which ultimately had to be removed.

Harvey Dellar, then just 12 months old, was taken to an optician by his parents, who were concerned about his right eye. The optician referred him to Northampton General Hospital - he should have been seen within two weeks of the referral, but the hospital's mistake meant that he was not seen for three months.

When doctors examined Harvey’s eye, they discovered that he had retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer which almost always develops in early childhood. By the time it was diagnosed, the cancer had spread and Harvey had to undergo an operation to remove his eye. Whilst the cancer would in any case have had an effect on Harvey’s eyesight, it is possible that doctors could have saved his eye if he had been treated earlier. He now has to wear an artificial eye.

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust admitted liability for the error and the High Court approved the compensation settlement. The money will be held in trust for Harvey for his future needs.