A coroner has found a toddler’s death from leukaemia was “highly preventable” after doctors missed opportunities for diagnosis of the illness.

Sandipan Dhar was 21 months old when he died suddenly at Joondalup Health Campus, in Perth’s north, after his parents’ repeated requests for a blood test were refused despite the boy battling a long-running fever.

Acting State Coroner Sarah Linton found if Sandipan had been diagnosed, it would have created an opportunity for him to receive treatment for leukaemia.

The coroner found Sandipan would most likely have survived his illness if a blood test had been performed, but there was a missed opportunity to diagnose and treat the child.

Ms Linton said if blood tests had been performed, the child’s leukaemia would have been identified and he would likely have survived with treatment.

“His death was therefore highly preventable,” she said.

The inquest was told Sandipan’s parents took him to their GP several times after he developed a fever following a vaccination.

The boy was treated for tonsillitis after a doctor noticed inflammation, but was referred to a hospital for further examination and a blood test when he recorded a temperature more than 38C at one of the visits.

His parents took him straight to Joondalup Health Campus on March 22, but a request for a blood test was ignored.

The inquest was told a senior doctor at the hospital failed to read a referral letter from the GP and relied on analysis from a junior doctor.

Sandipan was treated for a viral illness and sent home, but was rushed back to hospital two days later when his parents noticed his condition worsened.

He died in hospital later that night.

“He had always been healthy and well until the last few weeks before his death,” Ms Linton said.

“Knowing now that Sandipan had a likely treatable disease, if it had been diagnosed in time, has caused important questions to be asked about how we can ensure similar cases in the future are not missed.

“His death has already led to significant change being implemented at Joondalup Health Campus to make it safer for paediatric patients and their families.”