Sepsis is a life-threatening condition which occurs when a body’s immune system overreacts to an infection.
A spokesperson for the CQC said it was “liaising with the trust to establish the circumstances around the death and to see if there is any regulatory action that needs to be taken”.
In some cases where people are harmed or put in danger, the regulator can choose to prosecute organisations or individuals.
The spokesperson confirmed Kettering General Hospital did not inform the CQC of Chloe’s death until after an unannounced inspection of the Skylark ward and the paediatric emergency department on 6 and 19 December 2022.
Inspectors later issued a warning notice over patient safety and cited concerns, external around sepsis treatment, staff numbers, dirt levels and not having a culture where problems could be raised without fear.
Julie Hogg, the chief nurse at the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group, said: “We offer our condolences to Chloe’s family for their tragic loss. We are sorry for any failings in the care we provided and we await the coroner’s conclusion.
“We started our investigation processes in the hours after Chloe’s death, culminating in our national reporting in December 2022. We acknowledge this could have been done more quickly.”
