PRIME Minister David Cameron has joined in the condemnation of health care failings over the death of Newton Abbot toddler Sam Morrish.

Mr Cameron, speaking during Prime Minister's Question Time, said the three-year-old's death from sepsis, or blood poisoning, was both 'shocking and saddening.'

The matter was raised in parliament by Newton Abbot MP Anne-Marie Morris who said little Sam was failed by his GPs, out-of-hours services, hospital staff, the primary care trust and the ombudsman. Mr Cameron, speaking last Thursday, said the Newton Abbot MP was right to raise 'this tragic case.'

He said: 'It is absolutely saddening and shocking to see a whole succession of health services fail this family - and anyone who has lost a child that young knows how harrowing and dreadful this experience is.' He added: 'We must learn the lessons from this case, make sure they are acted on, make sure they can't happen again.

'Just last week we launched a major safety campaign to prevent these sorts of tragic and sadly avoidable deaths.' Sam died in December 2010 from sepsis, a treatable condition which can prove fatal if not treated promptly.

Four separate health service organisations were cited for errors in the case. Newton Abbot's MP sought assurances from the PM that the ombudsman's recommendations were implemented in full and that the NHS and ombudsman review systems were 'radically overhauled to deliver proper transparency and accountability.'

She said afterwards that Mr Cameron had agreed to look at the case and see that the NHS learnt the necessary lessons from the tragedy. 'I do not want another family to suffer the same needless tragedy as affected my constituents, the Morrish's,' she said.

She revealed that a Sepsis Awareness Day would be held on September 2.