A Merseyside hospital has closed its review into the death of 14-year-old Robert Green, who died hours after being sent home with advice to perform stretches for chest pain. The cause of death was bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax, a rare condition where air leaks into the space between the lung and chest wall on both sides.
What Happened
Robert, from Bidston, fell ill on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, after returning from kayaking with a friend and his family on Saturday, July 12. He complained of chest pain and shortness of breath. On Monday, he attended school as normal, but on Tuesday he came home with chest pains and breathing difficulties. His mother, Ruth, took him to Arrowe Park Hospital's accident and emergency department that night.
Medics discharged Robert at around 12:15 a.m., advising him to do stretches for what they believed was a muscle injury. Hours later, he entered his parents' bedroom complaining of breathing difficulties. His father, Robbie, said Robert's "eyes rolled to the back of his head" before he collapsed. Robbie performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but Robert was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Hospital Review and Family Concerns
Wirral University Teaching Hospital Trust conducted a 12-page final after action review, which included an action plan. The plan proposed using Robert's case as a case study for learning across the trust, introducing new digital options for patient assessment, a new "discharge and safety netting" process, and strengthening operating procedures for emergency department staff. The trust stated each point has since come into effect.
However, Robert's family expressed dissatisfaction. His half-sister Megan told the ECHO: "From what we’ve been told no staff have had any disciplinary, or additional training." She added: "We were told that because of Robert they are going to change the care pathway for children with chest pain - but we’ve heard absolutely nothing on this."
Medical Details
The final action review document noted: "Patient history: experienced an intermittent tight chest for several days since the start of warmer weather and had associated pain when breathing in. He had mild cough for four days and had a runny nose with some nose bleeds." It continued: "Described that patient looked well, was able to speak in full sentences and did not appear short of breath. On palpation, chest was tender, and pain was worse when stretching, bending and taking a deep breath."
Trust Response
A trust spokesperson said: "Comprehensive internal and external independent reviews have been completed. The outcomes have been shared with Robert’s family alongside our offer of continued support to address any questions they have. We understand this has been an extremely difficult time for the family and our thoughts remain with them."
An inquest into Robert's death was discontinued after his cause of death was determined to be natural. The family continues to seek answers about why Robert was discharged without an X-ray or further investigation.
