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Hospital blasted after baby arrives stillborn
Stef Lach
19 May 2011
The woman lost her baby daughter two days after midwives sent her home from hospital and told her to take painkillers after she had phoned five times for help.
Now health bosses in
The couple were expecting their first baby to be born in January 2009.
Named only as Baby C, the infant “perhaps would have survived” had her mother, Ms C, been taken into hospital on time, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman’s expert adviser said yesterday.
Over a three-day period in January, Ms C tried in despair to get attention at the same ward in the Southern General in
She went to the ward but was sent home as she was judged not to be in labour.
She phoned the hospital for help five times and had contact with three midwives. Still in severe distress and after repeatedly asking for help, she was at one point told to take stronger painkillers.
On January 17, two days after she was sent home Ms C went back to the hospital herself and was admitted. Baby C was stillborn later that day.
Upholding two complaints against the health board, Ombudsman, Jim Martin found a catalogue of mistakes in the recording of Ms C’s treatment. He said: “Had Ms C been admitted ... any signs of foetal distress should have been notified ... and perhaps Baby C would have survived.”
“I recommend the board provide a full apology to Mr and Ms C for the failures identified in this report.”
A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and
The spokeswoman said: “This is a tragic case and our deepest sympathies are with the family.
“Clearly in this instance we fell short of the high standards we strive to provide.
“As a result of this case there has been a considerable review of our procedures.
“A range of improvements have already been introduced including a dedicated triage team of midwives who take responsibility for telephone calls coming into the ward and new data sheets which demonstrate more clearly the advice given and frequency of telephone calls made.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Ombudsman has made recommendations and we expect the health board involved to take swift and thorough action.”
