Haroon Rashid, 43, from Sheffield, has been battling for answers for nearly three years since his son Muhammad Ayaan Haroon, known as Ayaan, died in March 2023
A dad whose five-year-old son died after alleged failings says he feels like he is “fighting some kind of mafia” to get justice from the NHS.
Haroon Rashid, 43, from Sheffield, has been battling for answers for nearly three years since his son Muhammad Ayaan Haroon, known as Ayaan, died in March 2023.
A draft report at the start of this year exposed a devastating account of bereavement care – detailing how the family could hear hospital staff laughing as Ayaan’s life support machine was switched off.
The family has called for another investigation after Niche Health and Social Care Consulting’s report concluded that improvements to Ayaan’s care would not have saved his life. The family believe “catastrophic failings” led to his death, including delays to giving Ayaan high flow oxygen, a chest drain and intubation.
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Taxi driver Haroon, who has three other daughters, said: “It’s been two and a half years for me, as Ayaan’s father, I saw him suffer for those eight days, and his life was lost not because he wasn’t able to fight this virus. It was because of catastrophic failings in his care.
“I just wasn’t listened to. It was clear there was not enough staff there, and since his death, it has been like, if I’m honest, it’s like we are fighting some kind of mafia, a mafia that will do anything to silence you. Instead of being listened to, we were tormented.”
Ayaan, who had a rare genetic condition called Hace 1 and previously suffered with respiratory issues, had been admitted to Sheffield Children’s Hospital five times during his life. He died in 2023 from overwhelming disseminated adenovirus bronchopneumonia.
The draft report found Ayaan received a below expected standard of care, including that he should have been started on high-flow oxygen therapy sooner. It also criticised a four-hour delay in admitting him to the paediatric intensive care unit.
But for Haroon, 43, it is the battle against the NHS that has only added layers of extra pain following the tragic death of Ayaan. Haroon says the NHS complaints system has been impossible to navigate, and he feels like the service “will do anything to silence you”.
It culminated in an astonishingly careless email from the NHS chief executive Sir Jim Mackey’s office, which was sent with personal details about the family’s case to a chain including dozens of journalists. The email was sent in error and was reported to the data protection office, who apologised, as did the NHS.
Haroon said: “We were targeted as part of a vicious witchhunt, to do anything the NHS could to silence us. And that isn’t how it should be. The NHS makes mistakes, they are human beings.
“We accept that human beings make mistakes, but when things go wrong, they should just hold their hands up and say, we got it wrong and apologise to families and work with them to ensure genuine lessons are learned.”
The Rashid family’s case has drawn comparisons with the tragic death of Yusuf Nazir, 5, who also died at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Yusuf’s family also criticised a report into their case, which they branded a “cover-up”. His family this month called for “Yusuf’s Law” to make sure parents’ voices are properly heard by doctors.
Haroon had been expecting the final report into his child’s death to be published by the end of the year after receiving assurances. But earlier this month, Haroon received a letter saying the final report will not be shared with him until April, prolonging his family’s painful wait for answers.
While Haroon has lost trust in the report, the process and the NHS system, the grieving dad vowed to battle on. “I sincerely hope that this fight for justice results in genuine changes, genuine lessons and the right lessons to be learned, so nobody, so no one else’s child, suffers that,” he said.
“I don’t want somebody else’s child to go through the pain and suffering that Ayaan went through, and ultimately the suffering and pain my family has gone through and continues to go through, even today, two and a half years later.”
Haroon also highlights that his daughter Aroob, 15, who has the same condition Ayaan had, is living a full and healthy life. “Ayaan was a lovely, joyful little boy. He was always so happy, smiling, even through complex treatment plans,” Haroon said.
“His sister’s been left with a void of her cherished little brother. She’s grown to turn her grief into purpose. She’s raising thousands for charities. She’s speaking up for the rights of children like Ayaan. I’m fighting my fight for justice but my daughter is also fighting her fight for justice for her brother.”
Dr Jeff Perring, Executive Medical Director at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We have offered our sincere condolences to Ayaan’s family for the loss and distress they have experienced.
“We are continuing to work closely with the family to listen and learn from their experience. We have informed the family that the report will be shared with them in April, reflecting the need for us to carefully consider the detailed feedback they have provided.”
A Niche spokesperson said: “We would again like to offer our sincere condolences to Ayaan’s family for the loss and distress they have experienced.
“As the family’s response makes clear, Ayaan’s death and the subsequent search for answers has been and will remain, a harrowing and traumatic experience. It is understandable that the family want justice and accountability for their much-loved son.”
It said that the family had submitted a further 750 pages of comments on the draft report in November, which it is carefully reviewing. They added: “Following completion of this process the family may want to submit their concerns to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for adjudication; we will fully support any onward enquiries which help to get them the answers that they need.”