Parents of toddler who died from flu after hospital failings speak out on five-year wait for answers

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Cristiana Banciu died in January 2020 after a rare reaction to the flu, while under the care of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. open image in gallery Cristiana, aged 2, died following a catalogue of failings by King’s College Hospital Foundation Trust At Cristiana’s inquest, assistant coroner Jacqueline Devonish said healthcare professionals had “failed to provide basic medical attention”, which contributed to her death. On 6 January 2020, just two days before she died, Cristiana was admitted to the Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington, part of the King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. “The family sought to resolve the case nearly 12 months prior to it finally settling, but were ignored and rebuffed, and it was not until court proceedings were served that the trust appeared to take their case seriously.” A spokesperson for King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said in a statement to The Independent: “We would like to apologise to Cristiana’s family for the failings in care during her treatment at King’s, and we are deeply sorry to the Banciu family for their loss.