Tag: hospital compensation neo natal death

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NHS Pledge to Give Mothers Continuity of Care with Same Midwife – a Reduction in Stillbirth?

The NHS have promised to spend £40 million on providing women with the same midwife throughout their pregnancy.

As a result of this pledge, it is anticipated that maternity deaths will be reduced by a massive 50 per cent.

Currently, it isn’t uncommon for a woman to see different midwives throughout her pregnancy, both during the antenatal period, during labour and during the post-natal period. Not only would continuity of care mean that a woman would no longer have to keep repeating her story, it would, in my opinion, lead to better care. This is in respect of the measuring of a woman’s bump, the method of which is said to differ from midwife to midwife.

The government anticipates that over a third of women should benefit from the new plans by March next year, rising to more than half by 2021.

In addition to reducing maternal deaths, this new proposal also aims to reduce our stillbirth and neonatal death rate.

The new funding will be used to reduce the rates of stillbirth, neonatal death, maternal death and brain injury during birth by 20 per cent by the end of 2020/21, and 50 per cent by 2025.

I think that this is a really big step in helping to improve our maternity care. The cost is massive but I hope that the intended benefit in reducing maternal death, stillbirth, neonatal death and brain injury is realised quickly.

For more information please see https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/05/05/expectant-mothers-given-midwife-throughout-pregnancy-40million/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_em

If you or a loved one would like to discuss a stillbirth compensation claim or neonatal death compensation claim, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Stillbirth isn’t Hereditary According to Scientists

Following a study of 26,000 mothers and daughters, no link was found between a mothers’ history of stillbirth and their daughters. Previous evidence had suggested that placental insufficiency was hereditary.

Personally, its very reassuring to read that stillbirth isn’t hereditary. I very occassionally think about what i’d do if my own daughters went on to suffer the heartbreak that I had to endure. It’s comforting to read that a genetic link has not been found to be a cause of stillbirth. I’m hoping that this will keep any anxiety at bay.

The University of Aberdeen ran the research project which was conducted in Scotland. No link was established between a mothers’ history of stillbirth and stillbirth in their daughters.

It’s so good to read about this study, to know that money is being given to Universities for research into stillbirth and neonatal death. It’s very hard for anybody wanting to carry out research into stillbirth or neonatal death to get the project off the ground due to a lack of available funding.

More studies please! The more research that is carried out, the more we can better understand stillbirth and neonatal death and the better positioned we will be to lower or stillbirth and neonatal death rate.

If you or a loved one would like to discuss a stillbirth compensation claim or neonatal death compensation claim, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Welsh Hospital in Special Measures Following Review – Increase in Stillbirth and Neonatal Death

An independent review of Cwm Taf maternity services describes it as “under extreme pressure and “dysfunctional”.

Special measures have been put in place prompted by concerns over the death of babies. There were 25 reported serious incidents including eight stillbirths and five neonatal deaths between January 2016 and September 2018.

According to the BBC website, the independent review found that the suspicions and concerns raised by women were not taken seriously whilst there was “little evidence of effective clinical leadership at any level”.

“Many women had felt something was wrong with their baby or tried to convey the level of pain they were experiencing but they were ignored or patronised, and no action was taken, with tragic outcomes including stillbirth and neonatal death of their babies,” the report said.

The BBC reported that further cases should be looked at – going back to 2010 – to “determine the extent of the under-reporting” of issues and to provide assurance to the health board. The review found 11 areas of immediate concern at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant and Prince Charles in Merthyr Tydfil, including:

  • Often no consultant obstetrician on the labour ward, and difficult to contact
  • Not enough midwives, putting them under “extreme pressure”
  • Consultants were not always available out of hours – and would take 45 minutes to get in
  • “Fragmented” consultant cover while their roster arrangements were “complex and inflexible”
  • High numbers of locum staff at all levels
  • Staff not aware of guidelines, protocols, triggers and escalations
  • “Punitive culture” within the service and staff felt senior management did not listen to their concerns, which they had “voiced repeatedly over a long period of time”

The reference to the lack of Consultant care was something I discussed earlier today in my previous blog: https://stillbirthclaims.com/giving-birth-at-night-or-during-the-weekend-an-increase-in-stillbirth-and-neo-natal-death-compensation-claims/

There had also been 67 stillbirths going back to 2010 which had not been reported for inclusion in statistics for a national database.

It’s very saddening to read this review but equally, reassuring that safeguards are in place to ensure that concerns are investigated (even if it takes time to get to this point).

What happens going forward for now remains to be seen. I hope the families get the answers to questions they want to know and that going forward, the number of stillborn and neonatal death babies reduces and care to women being of the standard that one would expect in a first world country in the 21st century.

If you or a loved one would like to discuss a stillbirth compensation claim or neonatal death compensation claim, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Giving Birth at Night or During the Weekend – an increase in stillbirth and neo-natal death compensation claims?

Here is a link I posted on the Gregory Abrams Davidson’s website recently. I thought I would share it on here too because of its relevance:


http://blog.gadllp.co.uk/giving-birth-at-night-or-during-the-weekend-an-increase-in-medical-negligence-and-compensation-claims/?preview=true

If you or a loved one would like to discuss a stillbirth compensation claim or neonatal death compensation claim, please do not hesitate to contact us.