A shocking recent report has found catastrophic failings at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Hospitals Trust which has contributed to the death of hundreds of babies and mothers over the last 20 years.
The investigation began due to a cluster of 23 families’ cases causing reviews to take place in 2017. The investigation has since expanded to nearly 1,500 cases and has now become the largest review in the history of the NHS.
The report has been produced by Donna Ockenden and is called ‘Findings, Conclusions and Essential Actions from the Independent Review of Maternity Services at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust’.
The report concludes that the maternity services failed to safeguard mothers and their babies at one of the most important times in their lives. Since the enquiry first began, the Government has introduced a range of measures and invested significantly in the workforce expansion and in the sustainability and safety of the maternity sector, in the hope that no more families will suffer in the same way.
The report also states that over the last two decades, over 1,486 families within the care of the maternity ward tried to raise concerns but were brushed aside, ignored and not listened to. During this period, there have been 1,592 clinical incidents involving both mothers and babies. The Trust was proud of its record that they held the lowest rate of caesarean sections in the country, but this was due to the denial of requests from mothers and the trust ignoring signs of distress to try and keep numbers down, rather than being based on what was best for the mother and baby. Other traumatic incidents occurred within the following areas;
- Antenatal Care
- Intrapartum Care
- Postnatal Care
- Maternal Deaths
- Obstetric Anaesthesia
- Neonatal Care
If you feel you have suffered any form of medical negligence, including anything which has risen from the Shrewsbury Maternity Scandal report, please contact our team and we will be able to give you free initial advice regarding whether or not you have a claim. Please note that there are strict time limits in place for making a claim for compensation, but our specialist medical negligence solicitors will be able to advise you specifically based on the facts of your own case.
You can contact our Clinical Negligence Department direct on 01244 354688.
