Baby deaths expose faults in NHS baby care

Baby deaths exposure faults successful NHS babe attraction (Image: Getty)

The probe besides discovered NHS trusts successful England person paid retired much than £90million implicit stillbirth objective negligence claims successful the past 11 years.

The findings volition beryllium utilized to enactment a run involving lawyers, starring MPs and charities being launched contiguous to amended information successful labour wards.

Leading diligent information adept Professor James Walker is calling for an overhaul of maternity attraction services. “Any stillbirth is simply a tragedy,” helium said. “There volition beryllium galore cases wherever improved attraction would person saved babies lives adjacent though these did not conscionable the criteria for a ineligible assertion oregon pb to a claim.

“These figures are precise distressing and item the request for an urgent overhaul successful the mode maternity attraction is delivered.”

Prof Walker is an advisor connected maternity attraction to the National Patient Safety Agency and the Care Quality Commission. He is besides a erstwhile elder vice-president for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

He added: “Increasingly unit are being near to enactment unsocial and without back-up, enactment oregon supervision.

“There are besides less maternity beds and a content it is amended for mothers to enactment astatine location arsenic overmuch arsenic possible. We request much compassion successful our approach.”

The research, carried retired by aesculapian negligence instrumentality steadfast Lime Solicitors, asked each wellness spot successful England for the fig of aesculapian negligence claims relating to stillbirths betwixt 2012/13 and 2022/23.

It revealed determination person been 933 claims paid to bereaved parents. A abstracted state of accusation petition submitted to NHS Resolution showed trusts paid retired £93million, including ineligible fees.

Previous Limes Solicitors probe revealed the NHS spent £4.1billion implicit the 11 years settling lawsuits involving 1,300 babies who suffered encephalon harm during birth.

Donald Peebles, NHS nationalist objective manager for maternity said: “Every nonaccomplishment of a babe is simply a calamity and has a devastating interaction connected families, and portion stillbirth rates person fallen, we cognize determination is much to bash to guarantee each women and babies person high-quality attraction before, during and aft pregnancy.

“That’s wherefore the NHS has provided extended guidance for each maternity services, mounting retired however they tin amended attraction and trim the fig of parents who person to look the calamity of stillbirth and we’re determined to spell further.”

Rahila Kausar (Image: SX NEWS)

Mother-of-three Rahila Kausar, 38, has launched a ineligible assertion against Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust aft her lad was stillborn astatine 37 weeks and six days.

Rahila’s gestation was considered precocious hazard having antecedently had a Caesarean conception and diabetes.

In April 2022, she went to infirmary due to the fact that her waters had breached and she was bleeding. Despite her concerns and a scan indicating determination mightiness beryllium reduced oxygen travel to her baby, sheCa was sent location with a program for an induced labour the adjacent day.

A scan the pursuing time recovered her baby’s bosom complaint mean though determination were inactive signs it whitethorn person a reduced oxygen supply. A scan aboriginal recovered nary foetal heartbeat, and Rahila delivered her lad stillborn the adjacent morning. She said: “No 1 checked connected maine until it was excessively late. If they had conscionable listened and acted sooner, my babe would inactive beryllium here.”

A spokesperson for Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust said: “We are investigating the circumstances astir this highly bittersweet nonaccomplishment truthful we tin respond accordingly.”