Family claims requests for blood tests ignored before toddler's death

The parents of a toddler who died at Joondalup Health Campus have claimed their repeated requests for a blood test were denied, which hospital staff deny.

Sandipan Dhar, aged just 18 months, died in March after contracting acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a kind of cancer.

The operators of Joondalup Hospital, Ramsay Health, said the family did not ask for blood tests after the child was admitted to the Perth hospital.

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"We lost our son, we know what we lost, we will never get him back," father Sanjoy Dhar told 9News.

"We don't want the same mistakes repeated for someone else." 

On February 19, the toddler received his 18-month vaccinations at Key Largo Medical Centre.

Two days later, his parents became concerned when Sandipan developed a fever.

The parents contacted the medical centre and say they were told to give the boy painkillers.

Sandipan's fever persisted and on March 14 his parents returned to the medical centre.

The parents claim a request for a blood test was denied that day.

Six days later, on March 20, a different GP at the centre diagnosed Sandipan with tonsillitis.

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On March 22, the family visited the GP again and were given a referral to Joondalup Health Campus.

The toddler spent six hours at the hospital that day and was eventually sent home. 

The parents said multiple requests for blood tests were rejected while at the hospital.

Two days later, on March 24, they returned to the hospital, where the toddler died.

"We only know a couple of tests, so we mentioned a blood test," Mr Dhar said.

"We haven't seen them take any sort of initiative."

The boy's parents learned today that Sandipan died from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

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Ramsay Health said the family did not ask for blood tests while at the hospital.

"The initial part of the investigation would suggest the care was appropriate and that we didn't hear of any repeated requests for a blood test to be taken," Ramsay Health's interim chief executive Shane Kelly said.

Sandipan's death comes three years after Aishwayra Aswath died of sepsis at Perth Children's Hospital after her parents pleaded for help.

"It's important that parents are listened to," Health Minister Amber Sanderson said.

"We need to allow the investigation to run its course and allow the health workers involved to put their view so that we understand all the facts of this case."

9News contacted Key Largo Medical Centre about the parents' concerns.

The centre declined to comment.

"When our son left the house he brought his favourite T-shirt to wear, and on the way, he asked me to play his favourite song," Mr Dhar said.

"That's the last good memory we have."