Baby Death Inquest: Mum Recalls Last Moments

Civil action has been launched against a children's hospital where a mother claims her child died after being "overlooked and neglected".

Thirteen-month-old Hayley Fullerton died of heart failure at Birmingham Children's Hospital in November 2009.

She was born with a condition that restricted blood getting from her heart to her lungs.

After an operation at another hospital, she was sent to Birmingham for corrective heart surgery.

The operation was a success, but complications set in when Hayley's right lung collapsed.

At Birmingham Coroner's Court, mother Paula Stevenson said: "I was hoping she would be put in intensive care.

"I was waiting and waiting for someone to come so I was very aware and alert. I was telling her sorry I could not get help."

Earlier at the hearing she claimed her child had been failed "abominably" and said her experience at the hands of some staff has been "brutal".

She maintained that staff repeatedly ignored the family's concerns about Hayley's condition and refused to transfer the child to an intensive care unit.

Every time she complained about her daughter's care, the worse it became, she said.

Ms Stevenson, who is originally from Northern Ireland but now lives in Australia, went on to claim that she gave a nurse a £100 gift voucher in an effort to secure better care for Hayley.

"I truly believe if the medical teams had listened to me and my parents, Hayley would still be alive today. They turned their back on her. She was overlooked and neglected," she said earlier this week.

On Wednesday, paediatric cardiologist Dr Oliver Stumper made an apology at the hearing for not requesting physiotherapy at an earlier stage.

"I express my frustration and apology that we failed, that I failed, to request physiotherapy on the evening of November 9."

The inquest was adjourned until September.

Outside court, Ms Stevenson said her daughter's death had devastated her family.

"After her heart operation, we had serious concerns about certain aspects of her care on ward 11 of Birmingham Children's Hospital," she said.

"I would also like to thank members of the public who throughout the week have sent messages of support to us.

"We have been touched by their kind words and this makes us even more determined to ensure that Hayley's death is fully investigated."