Complaint upheld after medical teams argued at dying girl's bedside in Edinburgh hospital

NHS Lothian apologises to family of six-year-old Flora Gentleman and identifies eight learning outcomes from a review of her care

By LineZotpaper

Published22 October 2026

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A family's complaint against NHS Lothian has been upheld after medical teams argued over symptom management at the bedside of their dying six-year-old daughter, leaving her gasping in pain. The health board has apologised and identified eight major learning outcomes from a review of Flora Gentleman's care at Edinburgh's Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.

Flora Gentleman, who was autistic and non-verbal, had lived with neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer, for four years before treatment stopped working. By December 2024 she was receiving palliative care at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, where her mother, Stephanie Kent, said she watched her daughter gasping and wincing in pain despite the highest possible dose of pain relief.

According to Stephanie, the oncology team argued that the kindest option was to sedate Flora, while the palliative care team wanted more time for the pain relief to take effect. She said the conversation became so insensitive that the group of medics had to leave the room, and that she then had to leave Flora's bedside for 45 minutes to continue the discussion about her care. Flora died two days later, after the lead oncologist took over and her symptoms were stabilised within 24 hours.

Stephanie described the episode as barbaric and said the level of unprofessionalism was diabolical. In her complaint, she said a member of the palliative care team made upsetting remarks, including that Flora was on such a high dose of pain relief that it would knock an elephant out, and that the medication would chill her out. NHS Lothian upheld the complaint on the grounds that the family were left out of decision-making and experienced distress because of visible divisions between clinical teams. In its official response, the health board acknowledged the comments were perceived as insensitive and that it was inappropriate for the meeting to have taken place beside Flora's bed. The staff member said they did not recall making the dosage remark, but accepted it would have come across as insensitive or unprofessional if made, and that the second comment was never meant to cause offence.

The health board has identified eight major learning outcomes from a review of Flora's care, including better coordination between teams and greater consideration of how her neurodiversity affected her care. Stephanie called this a starting point and said wider improvements are needed, including dedicated wards for children's palliative care. Public Health Scotland figures cited by BBC Scotland show that over 70 per cent of children and young people with serious health conditions or receiving palliative care in Scotland die in a hospital setting.

BBC Scotland also spoke to other bereaved families with concerns about the same hospital. Jamie Walker, whose 17-year-old daughter Sophie died in the same ward in July 2024, said his complaint was closed after NHS Lothian told the family they had been given multiple opportunities to complain within the relevant timeframe. The case has been referred to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, which is investigating, alongside a separate inquiry by the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit. Another parent, Steph Kemlo, whose daughter Faith died in September 2025, described the complaints process as incredibly difficult because everything is still so raw.

Rami Okasha, chief executive of Children's Hospices Across Scotland, said there was a lot of work that needs to be done to create a suitable environment for end-of-life care in children's hospitals, adding: "You've got one chance to get this right for these families."

NHS Lothian said it extends its deepest condolences to the families of both Flora and Sophie and apologises for any additional distress they experienced, adding that its complaints process involves thorough and robust investigations with clinical teams.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The case raises questions about how disagreements between clinical teams are managed at a child's bedside during end-of-life care, and the effect on bereaved families.
Scottish data cited in the reporting show the majority of children receiving palliative care die in hospital, making the quality of hospital end-of-life care a significant public health issue.
The upheld complaint comes alongside other families' unresolved concerns and two live investigations, suggesting the issue may not be confined to a single case.

Background

Flora Gentleman had neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer, for four years before her death in December 2024. Her case, as reported by BBC Scotland, involved a dispute between oncology and palliative care teams over whether to sedate her or give pain relief more time to work. NHS Lothian operates the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, where the care was provided. Complaints against Scottish health boards are normally handled through a staged internal process, with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman as the independent body that can consider cases families feel were not properly resolved.

Key Perspectives

The family: Stephanie Kent says the argument at Flora's bedside caused avoidable distress and that parents' concerns were not taken seriously. Jamie Walker says the complaints process underestimates how hard it is for bereaved parents to navigate while reliving their loss.

NHS Lothian: The health board upheld the complaint, apologised to the families, acknowledged specific failings in communication and coordination, and says it has acted on recommendations from a full investigation into Flora's care.

Children's Hospices Across Scotland: Chief executive Rami Okasha argues hospital end-of-life care should match the compassionate, gentle care provided in hospices, and that there is significant work needed to achieve that.

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman: The body says a significant and sustained increase in demand has caused delays, and that it prioritises vulnerable people, urgent complaints and cases with significant public interest.

What to Watch

The outcome of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman's investigation into Sophie Walker's case, and the separate Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit inquiry.
Whether NHS Lothian implements the eight learning outcomes in ways families can observe, particularly coordination between oncology and palliative care teams.
Whether the additional two families reported to have concerns come forward, and whether the health board responds to their cases within its stated timeframes.

Sources

My dying daughter gasped in pain while medics argued at her bedside · BBC Scotland
My dying daughter gasped in pain while medics argued at her bedside · BBC News
My dying daughter gasped in pain while medics argued at her bedside · BBC Scotland

Checked

11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 8 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedThe headline says the complaint was upheld after medical teams argued at the dying girl’s bedside in an Edinburgh hospital.BBC Scotland: “According to Stephanie, disagreements between medical teams over how best to manage Flora's symptoms erupted into a heated discussion at her daughter's bedside.”
SupportedThe summary says NHS Lothian apologised to Flora’s family.BBC Scotland: “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of both Flora and Sophie and apologise for any additional distress they experienced at an already difficult time.”
SupportedThe summary says the review identified eight learning outcomes.BBC Scotland: “NHS Lothian has identified eight "major learning outcomes" following a review of Flora's care.”
Partly supportedThe opening says the teams’ argument left Flora gasping in pain.BBC Scotland: “Despite being given the highest possible dose of pain relief, her mother, Stephanie Kent, said she could see her daughter "gasping and wincing in pain".”
SupportedStephanie said oncology favoured sedation while palliative care wanted more time for pain relief to work.BBC Scotland: “The oncology team said the kindest route was to sedate Flora, but the palliative care team wanted to give the pain relief more time to take effect.”
Partly supportedAfter the lead oncologist took over, Flora’s symptoms were stabilised within 24 hours and she died two days later.BBC Scotland: “Within 24 hours, Stephanie said Flora was peaceful and able to sleep. She died two days later.”
SupportedNHS Lothian upheld the complaint because the family were left out of decision-making and distressed by divisions between teams.BBC Scotland: “NHS Lothian upheld Stephanie's complaint on the grounds that the family were left out of decision making and had experienced distress due to "visible" divisions between clinical teams.”
SupportedThe staff member did not recall making the dosage remark, but said it would have seemed insensitive or unprofessional if made; they said the other comment was not meant to offend.BBC Scotland: “The staff member alleged to have made the two inappropriate comments said they did not recall making the remark about pain relief dosage, but acknowledged that if they had, it would have come across as insensitive or unprofessional. In reference to the second comment, they said it was never meant to cause offence.”
Partly supportedStephanie said wider improvements are needed, including dedicated wards for children’s palliative care.BBC Scotland: “Stephanie said this was a starting point but wider improvements could be made to end-of-life care for children in Scotland. These include specific wards for children's palliative care.”
SupportedMore than 70% of children and young people with serious health conditions or receiving palliative care in Scotland die in hospital.BBC Scotland: “Over 70% of children and young people with serious health conditions or receiving palliative care in Scotland die in a hospital setting, according to Public Health Scotland.”
SupportedJamie Walker’s complaint was closed after NHS Lothian said the family had had multiple opportunities to complain within the relevant timeframe; the matter is being investigated by the SPSO, and a separate investigation concerns Sophie’s death.BBC Scotland: “The complaint was then closed. The family referred the matter to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO), which is investigating. There is also a separate investigation by the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit into Sophie's death.”