26
Nov 2019
Catalogue of maternity care failings led to mothers and babies dying ‘amid toxic culture’
A report in relation to maternity care failings at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has claimed that mothers and babies died amid a “toxic” culture stretching back 40 years.
The report, which has been leaked to The Independent, reveals that some children were left disabled, staff got the names of some dead babies wrong and, in one case, referred to a child as “it”.
The investigation into avoidable baby deaths at the trust, and which is being led by maternity expert Donna Ockenden, was to examine 23 cases, but has now grown to 270 over a 40 year period.
The cases, which included 22 stillbirths; three deaths during pregnancy; 17 deaths of babies after birth; three deaths of mothers; and 47 cases of substandard care; also included 51 cases of cerebral palsy and brain damage, due in some cases to a failure amongst staff to properly monitor labour and/or the heartbeat of the babies during labour.
Paula Clarke, interim chief executive of the trust, apologised “unreservedly” to the families affected, adding “A lot has already been done to address the issues raised by previous cases.”
However, the report highlighted the warning that lessons were not being learned and trust staff uncommunicative with families.
Speaking of the leaked report, Ms Ockenden said “This was produced at the request of NHS Improvement and was not meant for publication.” She added that the independent review team was working towards meeting requests of the families affected for “one, single, comprehensive” report, which covered all cases of concern within maternity services at the trust.
Chadwick Lawrence’s team of medical negligence lawyers have years of experience in high value and complex medical negligence compensation claims and have an excellent record. The team is led by Tony May, a specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitor, who has over 20 years experience in handling cases in which babies have been brain damaged or sustained other injuries as a result of medical negligence. He and his team continue to represent many cerebral palsy children and young adults in medical negligence claims. Tony also acts as the Court of Protection Deputy for many of the cerebral palsy and brain damaged clients that he has represented, so we can continue to support you after your case is settled. Tony can be contacted by email on tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk. Alternatively, please call and speak to any of Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist medical negligence Legal Aid and no win, no fee solicitors for free legal advice on Freephone 0800 304 7382.
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