Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Baby'.
Found 549 results
-
News Article
NHS logging baby deaths as stillbirths ‘to avoid scrutiny’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHS hospitals have claimed that babies born alive were stillborn, a Telegraph investigation has found, prompting accusations they were trying to avoid scrutiny. Six children who died before they left hospital were wrongly described as stillborn. Several of the children lived for minutes and one lived for five days. Coroners are not able to carry out inquests into stillbirths, leaving some families unable to get answers until the error was corrected. In one case, an obstetrician told a coroner in Stockport that he had been pressured by an NHS manager to say a baby he had delivered had definitely been stillborn, in order to be “loyal” to the trust. His comments are likely to raise fears that some NHS trusts in England have used the stillbirth label to avoid having coroners examine any errors that may have been made by staff. The revelations raise questions over transparency at some NHS trusts. The babies identified by The Telegraph should have been recorded as neonatal deaths, but staff claimed they were stillbirths – babies that never had any signs of life outside the mother’s body, even for a single moment. All the NHS trusts that wrongly classified neonatal deaths as stillbirths have apologised to the babies’ parents, and say they have changed their practices. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Telegraph, 16 October 2022 -
News Article
University of Leicester team finds more stillbirths in deprived areas
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Research suggests there are higher rates of stillbirth and neonatal death for those living in deprived areas and minority ethnic groups. A report from a team at the University of Leicester shows that while overall stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates have reduced, inequalities persist. MBRRACE-UK, the team that carried out the research, said it had looked at outcomes for specific ethnic groups. The report showed the stillbirth rate in the UK had reduced by 21% over the period 2013 to 2020 to 3.33 per 1,000 total births. Over the same period the neonatal mortality rate has reduced by 17% to 1.53 per 1,000 births. However despite these improvements, the authors found inequalities persisted, with those living in the most deprived areas, minority ethnic groups and twin pregnancies all experiencing higher rates of stillbirth. Elizabeth Draper, professor of perinatal and paediatric epidemiology at the university, said: "In this report we have carried out a deeper dive into the impact of deprivation and ethnicity on stillbirth and neonatal death rates. "For the first time, we report on outcomes for babies of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean and Black African, rather than reporting on broader Asian and black ethnic groups, who have diverse backgrounds, culture and experiences. "This additional information will help in the targeting of intervention and support programmes to try to reduce stillbirth and neonatal death." Read full story Source: BBC News, 14 October 2022 -
News Article
‘Obfuscations and failures’ in trust’s handling of death, damning review finds
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
There were ’obfuscations, difficulties and failures’ in a scandal-hit trust’s handling of a baby’s death, a damning review has found, although it cleared the organisation’s former chair of ’serious mismanagement’. A fit and proper person review into the conduct of former Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust chair Ben Reid, who left in August 2020, has been published by the board. The report follows complaints about Mr Reid’s conduct from the family of baby Kate Stanton-Davies, who died in the trust’s care and whose case – alongside that of Pippa Griffiths – sparked the original Ockenden inquiry. In March 2022, the final Ockenden report into maternity services at Shrewsbury found poor maternity care had resulted in almost 300 avoidable baby deaths or brain damage cases in the most damning review of maternity services in the NHS’s history. Report author Fiona Scolding KC said she does not believe Mr Reid “lied” or acted unethically in his handling of complaints from the family and therefore this does not disqualify him from holding office within the terms of such a review. However, the report is highly critical of the trust, with Ms Scolding concluding it is “undoubtedly true” the provider had not dealt with Kate’s father Richard Stanton and her mother Rhiannon Davies in an “open and honest” way in respect of their daughter’s death. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 13 October 2022 -
News ArticleVery sick babies and children will be diagnosed and start treatment more quickly thanks to a “revolutionary” new genetic testing service being launched by the NHS. Doctors will gain vital insights within as little as two days into what illnesses more than 1,000 newborns and infants a year in England have from the rapid analysis of blood tests. Until now, when doctors suspected a genetic disorder, such tests have sometimes taken weeks as they had to be done in a sequential order to rule out other possible diagnoses, delaying treatment. NHS England bosses say the service could save the lives of thousands of seriously ill children over time and will usher in “a new era of genomic medicine”. The clinical scientists, genetic technologists and bioinformaticians will carry out much faster processing of DNA samples, including saliva and other tissue samples as well as blood. They will share their findings with medical teams and patients’ families. “This global first is an incredible moment for the NHS and will be revolutionary in helping us to rapidly diagnose the illnesses of thousands of seriously ill children and babies, saving countless lives in the years to come,” said Amanda Pritchard, NHS England’s chief executive. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 12 October 2022 Further hub reading Genetic profiling and precision medicine – the future of cancer treatment
-
News Article
Lucy Letby was ‘constant malevolent’ presence on neonatal ward, court hears
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A nurse murdered seven babies and attempted to kill 10 others by poisoning them on a hospital neonatal unit where she was a “constant malevolent presence”, a court has heard. Lucy Letby, 32, fatally injected newborns with insulin, air or milk during night shifts when she knew their parents would not be present, a jury was told. One of the babies was just 24 hours old when Letby allegedly injected him with air, killing him just 90 minutes after she came on shift. The nurse tried to kill his twin sister the next day, it is alleged. The court was told that Letby, who was trained to care for the most seriously ill babies, developed an “unusual interest” in the parents of some of her 17 alleged victims and in some cases tracked them on Facebook. Jurors were told that she was the only “common denominator” that connected the deaths of seven infants and the “catastrophic” collapses of 10 others at the Countess of Chester hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. She allegedly tried to kill some babies more than once – in one case, three times – using various methods. Nick Johnson KC, prosecuting, told the jury: “We say the collapses and deaths of the 17 children named on the indictment were not normally occurring tragedies. They were all the work, we say, of the woman in the dock who we say was a constant malevolent presence when things took a turn for the worse for these children.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 10 October 2022 -
News Article
NI 'needs mother and baby mental health unit'
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
An appeal to establish a dedicated Mother and Baby Perinatal Mental Health Unit will be delivered to the Nothern Ireland health minister later. Individual women, charities and other organisations will hand over a public letter urging Robin Swann to act. Northern Ireland is the only place in the UK which has no dedicated in-patient service for women with serious post-partum mental health issues. The units admit mothers with their babies so that they can be with them. About 70 women a year in Northern Ireland are admitted to hospital with post-partum psychosis. The health minister approved some funding for perinatal mental health last year. However, no decision has been made on in-patient services. Read full story Source: BBC, 10 October 2022 -
News ArticleHospital authorities in Wales have been accused of attempting to cover up failings in the delivery of a baby born with significant brain damage. Gethin Channon, who was born on 25 March 2019 at Singleton Hospital, in Swansea, suffers from quadriplegic cerebral palsy, a severe disability that requires 24/7 care. There were complications during his birth, due to him being in an abnormal position that prevented normal delivery, and he was eventually born via caesarean section. An independent review commissioned by Swansea Bay University Health Board (SBUHB), which manages Singleton Hospital, found “several adverse features” surrounding Gethin’s delivery that were omitted from or “inaccurately specified” in the hospital’s internal report. The investigation, carried out by obstetrician Dr Bill Kirkup, said SBUHB had “significantly” downplayed the “suboptimal” care received by Gethin and his mother, Sian, and had erroneously attributed his condition to a blocked windpipe. It also suggests that amendments were retrospectively made to examination notes taken by staff during the course of Ms Channon’s labour. The family said that SBUHB, which was flagged by national inspectors in the months after Gethin’s birth due to “concerns” over its ability to deliver “safe and effective” maternity care, had “covered up” the failings in their case. SBUHB said it had been “working tirelessly” with the family to investigate and address their concerns, and that it would be inappropriate to comment on specific allegations as the process was ongoing. Read full story Source: The Independent, 2 September 2022
-
News Article
Scottish Government orders review as neonatal deaths higher than expected
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Healthcare Improvement Scotland have been commissioned to lead a review into the neonatal death rates. It follows the higher than expected deaths in both March 2022 and September last year, as published by Public Health Scotland. At least 18 babies under four weeks old died in March – a rate of 4.6 per 1,000 births. The wider inquiry is understood to have been triggered because the mortality rate passed an "upper control" threshold of 4.4 per 1,000 births. The average mortality rate among newborns is just over 2 per 1,000 births. The Scottish Government said the investigation is expected to take no longer than six to nine months once the review team is formed. Public health minister Maree Todd said: “Every death is a tragedy for the families involved. That is why earlier this year I committed to this review to find out if there is a reason for the increase. “I appreciate how difficult this time is for anyone affected and I would encourage them to access support if they wish to do so. There is information about organisations and help available on the National Bereavement Care Pathways Scotland as well as the Scottish Government website.” Read full story Source: The Scotsman, 30 September 2022 -
News Article
Mother given substantial damages over baby's care
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A mother from County Down will receive "substantial" undisclosed damages over alleged hospital treatment failures and care given to her daughter. Christina Campbell from Ballygowan brought medical negligence lawsuits over treatment she received at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald after her daughter, Jessica, died in 2017 with a rare genetic disorder. The claim said that failure to test Ms Campbell during her pregnancy meant the condition went undetected. Damages were also sought for an alleged "ineffective" end of life care plan for the four month old. Jessica was diagnosed with trisomy 13 shortly after her birth in December 2016. She experienced feeding and respiratory difficulties, as well as a congenital heart defect and a bilateral cleft lip and palate. She was discharged from hospital with a home-based end-of-life care plan, including community and respite referral to the hospice, but a few months later. The claims said a failure to provide Ms Campbell with a amniocentesis test, which checks for genetic or chromosomal conditions, meant Jessica's condition was not discovered sooner. The lawsuit also highlighted concerns about Jessica's hospice treatment. It includes alleged uncertainty about the provision of humidified oxygen, a defective feeding pump and delays in a specific feeding plan and saline nebuliser being provided for the family. The family's solicitor said the awarding of damages "signifies the importance of lessons learned" as a result of Ms Campbell's campaign. "It is hoped that lessons can now be learned to ensure no other family has to go through a similar experience," he said. Read full story Source: BBC News, 29 September 2022 -
News Article
Many English maternity units not meeting safety standards
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
More than half of maternity units in England fail consistently to meet safety standards, BBC analysis of official statistics shows. Health regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rates 7% of units as posing a high risk of avoidable harm. A further 48% require improvement. The figures are slightly worse than a few years ago, despite several attempts to transform maternity care. The regulator says the pace of improvement has been disappointing. In most cases, pregnancy and birth are a positive and safe experience for women and their families, says the CQC. But when things do go wrong, it is important to understand what happened and whether the outcome could have been different. Laura Ellis lost her newborn son when he was unexpectedly breech during advanced labour. She checked out the CQC rating of her local hospital, Frimley Park, when she was pregnant. Maternity services were good. But Laura didn't realise the unit had been told that it required improvement on safety. Laura said: "It was just so hard. So hard to deal with. So hard to leave as well. How would you leave your baby in hospital when you should be taking them home?" Frimley Park NHS Foundation Trust says it has made a number of changes since Theo died, including an emergency response if a baby is unexpectedly breech during advanced labour. Read full story Source: BBC News, 21 September 2022 -
News Article
US abortion bans leave grey areas in complicated pregnancies
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Moments after unveiling a bill that would ban all abortions in the United States at 15 weeks, US Senator Lindsey Graham was interrupted by a mother with a devastating story. "I did everything right and at 16 weeks we found out that our son would likely not live," Ashbey Beasley told a crowded room. "When he was born, for eight days he bled from every orifice of his body," she said. But, she said, at least she got to choose how to handle her difficult pregnancy, while Mr Graham's law would take away that choice. "What do you say to someone like me?" Since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v Wade this summer, states across the US have pushed through abortion bans or severely restricted the procedure. But as such laws have gone into effect, unintended consequences have followed. Doctors and patients say that confusing standards and the vague language of these laws have had a chilling effect on the medical field in anti-abortion states, leaving tragedies in their wake - and more in the making. For the last year, Amanda Horton, a Texas doctor who specialises in high-risk pregnancies, has struggled to care for patients with pregnancy complications. At times, Dr Horton must inform families that their babies have been diagnosed with a fatal foetal anomaly. These conditions are rare and likely to lead to the death of a foetus in utero, or shortly after birth. But under a strict abortion ban in Texas, her hands are tied. Read full story Source: BBC News, 17 September 2022 -
Content ArticleClinicians in emergency departments (EDs) will see babies and young children with injuries that may be non-accidental. If the cause of such injuries is missed, there is a risk of further harm to the child. However, making a judgement about whether an injury might be accidental or not is complex and difficult. This Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) investigation explores the issues that influence the diagnosis of non-accidental injuries in infants (children under 1 year of age) who visit an ED. Specifically, it explores the information and support available to ED clinicians to help them to make such a diagnosis. Due to the nature of the subject matter no specific incident was used to explore this area of care. Instead, the investigation analysed 10 serious incident reports (reports written by NHS trusts when a serious patient safety incident occurs) to identify the factors that contribute to non-accidental injuries not being diagnosed. These factors were grouped into themes, which informed the terms of reference for the investigation.
-
Content ArticleThis plan from NHS England sets out how the NHS will make maternity and neonatal care safer, more personalised, and more equitable for women, babies, and families. NHS England has engaged a wide range of stakeholders who supported the development of this plan. This includes women and families who have used or are using maternity and neonatal services, members of the maternity and neonatal workforce, leaders and commissioners of services, NHS systems and regional teams, and representatives from Royal Colleges, charities and other organisations.
-
Content ArticlePoster presentation from Dr Felicity Brokke and Ken Spearpoint at the recent GOSH Patient Safety and Human Factors Conference.
-
Content ArticleWomen should be able to have confidence that they will receive safe, effective, compassionate maternity care that focuses on their individual needs. That is the experience of many people. But too many families still face care that puts the safety and wellbeing of women and babies at risk. This Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) report looks at themes from maternity complaints families have brought to us, to shine a light on their experiences and encourage others to let their voices be heard. It shares case summaries and guidance to help families complain and help NHS organisations understand the issues.
-
Content ArticleIn this Guardian article, Sarah Kendell describes her experience of maternity care in Australia, highlighting the stark difference in care offered before and after a woman has given birth. She says "at the most difficult transition of our lives–after childbirth–the healthcare system leaves us to fend for ourselves," and argues that the impact this can have on the health and wellbeing of women and their babies needs to be considered. She asks whether reallocating some resource from antenatal care to postnatal care would produce health benefits for new mothers and babies.
-
Content ArticleStatement from Maria Caulfield, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Mental Health and Women's Health Strategy) on the Government’s initial response to the report of the independent review into the maternity and neonatal services at East Kent University NHS Foundation Trust that was published on the 19 October 2022. NHS England commissioned Dr Bill Kirkup to undertake this review following concerns about the quality and outcomes of care.
-
Content ArticlePain and trauma experienced as a preterm baby in the NICU have been linked to lasting psychological injury, altered brain development and individuals' ability to regulate emotions later in life. In this blog, Vox's Science and Health Editor Brian Resnick looks at how scientists are investigating how to treat pain in babies who can’t tell you when it hurts.
-
News Article
High cost of infant formula putting babies in danger, UK charities warn
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Vulnerable parents may be forced to resort to unsafe practices to feed their babies because of sharp increase in the cost of infant formula, charities have warned. The price of the cheapest brand of baby formula has leapt by 22%, according to analysis by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS). BPAS said the cost of infant formula needed to safely feed a baby in the first six months of their life was no longer covered by Healthy Start vouchers, which are worth £8.50 a week and provided to women in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who are pregnant or have young children. The charity Feed said families that were unable to afford enough infant formula had resorted to watering down the product or feeding their babies unsuitable food such as porridge. BPAS’s chief executive, Clare Murphy, said: “We know that families experiencing food poverty resort to unsafe feeding methods, such as stretching out time between feeds and watering down formula. The government cannot stand by as babies are placed at risk of malnutrition and serious illness due to the cost of living crisis and the soaring price of infant formula. “The government must increase the value of Healthy Start vouchers to protect the health of the youngest and most vulnerable members of our society.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 6 December 2022 -
News Article
Thousands of referrals for sick babies turned down due to lack of beds
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
More than 1,000 referrals to admit very sick or premature babies to neonatal units were rejected in the last year due to a lack of beds, data obtained by HSJ has revealed. Nineteen trusts turned down a total of 2,721 requests to admit a baby to their level three neonatal intensive care unit – those for the most serious cases – specifically due to a lack of a bed, between 2019-20 and 2021-22, with 1,345 such refusals taking place in 2021-22. Experts told HSJ the issue – which appears to have led to families having to travel very long distances from their homes – was due to a shortage of staff, especially nurses, meaning insufficient beds (normally referral to as cots in neonatal care) can be opened. A British Association of Perinatal Medicine spokesperson told HSJ: “Neonatal intensive care units should run at less than 80% occupancy on average to allow for peaks and troughs in activity. There are a significant number which are having to run over that capacity limit which can cause flow problems – we’re a bit like an A&E that can’t stack the ambulances outside – once the baby is there, it has to come and we’re not able to control those admissions.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 1 December 2022 -
News ArticleThe NHS could be facing its largest maternity scandal to date as the review into services in Nottingham is now expected to exceed 1,500 cases, The Independent has learned. The probe began in 2021 after this newspaper revealed dozens of babies had died or been left with serious injuries or brain damage as a result of care at NUH, which runs Nottingham’s City Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC). But the scope of the investigation has more than doubled, with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust sending more than 1,000 letters to families to contact the independent inquiry, after 700 families previously came forward with their concerns. Of these, the number of families expected to be covered by the probe is more than 1,500 – surpassing the 1,486 examined during the UK’s current largest maternity scandal in Shrewsbury. Read full story Source: The Independent, 30 November 2022
-
News Article
Nottingham maternity units set to miss investigations deadline
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Bosses at Nottingham's crisis-hit maternity units are set to miss a deadline for clearing a backlog of incomplete "serious incident" investigations. Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH) has 53 outstanding maternity incidents yet to be investigated. The trust had said it aimed to complete investigations by December 23. But director of midwifery Sharon Wallis says they have not progressed as quickly as she had hoped. The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the trust has managed to clear a number of those incidents - but it declared another nine in September and October. An independent review team, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, is examining dozens of baby deaths at the trust. Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 November 2022 -
News ArticleA maternity unit criticised for the preventable stillbirth of a baby is under investigation after the unexpected death of a second baby. The newborn baby died in December last year after her birth at the standalone midwifery-led unit (MLU) at Lagan Valley Hospital in Lisburn. Despite this, the unit continued to operate as normal for another three months when the South Eastern Trust temporarily paused births at the MLU. The second tragedy came four years after Jaxon McVey was stillborn when his delivery at the unit went catastrophically wrong. A post-mortem found he died as a result of shoulder dystocia – an obstetric emergency where the head is born but the shoulder becomes trapped behind the pubic bone. Jaxon’s mum, Christine McCleery, has hit out at the South Eastern Trust and raised concerns over the measures put in place following his stillbirth on Mother’s Day 2017. “I feel like they didn’t learn from Jaxon,” she said. “I don’t know if any other babies died before Jaxon, but I know one died afterwards. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Independent, 23 November 2022
-
News Article
Big rise in trusts ‘red rated’ for infant mortality
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Nearly a fifth of trusts providing maternity care have been red rated for their infant mortality rates in a national audit. Twenty-three trusts were flagged for their perinatal mortality in the latest Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audit and Confidential Enquiries audit for maternity services. Trusts with mortality rates more than 5% higher than an average of peer group providers are given a red rating. The report was published last month and looked at data for 2020. Average perinatal mortality rates have been falling across England since 2013, although there is significant variation across England. Six trusts in the latest audit were red rated for both stillbirths and neonatal mortality; Buckinghamshire Healthcare; Gloucestershire Hospitals; University Hospitals Dorset; Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals; University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire; and University Hospitals of Leicester. Twenty-three trusts rated red on a combined perinatal mortality indicator (including the six listed above). For 17 of them, their mortality rates were not high enough on one of the stillbirth or neonatal measures to be red rated, but sufficiently high enough on both indicators to tip their overall extended overall perinatal rating into the red. Andrew Furlong, medical director of University Hospitals Leicester, said: “Where learnings have been identified from reviews of care, we have developed robust action plans and strengthened care practice to shape and improve future services.” These include aiming to improve access to interpreters, provide clearer medical review guidelines, and update ultrasound scanning processes, he added. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 21 November 2022 -
News Article
Antibody jab approved for common winter virus RSV
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A new treatment to protect babies against a common and potentially dangerous winter virus has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the main reason children under five end up in hospital. In a normal winter, RSV mostly causes coughs and colds which clear up in a couple of weeks - but it can be particularly serious in infants under the age of two, causing severe lung problems such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Every year, about 29,000 babies need hospital care for RSV and most have no other health issues beforehand. The new antibody treatment, called nirsevimab, from Sanofi and AstraZeneca, has already been shown to reduce lower respiratory tract infections caused by RSV by 74.5% in trials involving 4,000 babies. It works by preventing RSV from fusing to cells in the respiratory tract and causing infections. But it still needs more research in larger numbers of babies before it can be used on the NHS. Researchers now plan to investigate whether it can cut the number of babies needing hospital care for RSV, and are urging parents to sign up to their study. The study is open to newborn babies and those up to 12 months old. Only one visit for the antibody injection is needed, and follow-up sessions happen via an app. Co-study leader Dr Simon Drysdale, consultant paediatrician in infectious diseases at London's St George's Hospital, said the treatment could eventually be given at birth to offer protection for the first months of life, or during routine immunisations at two months old. Read full story Source: 10 November 2022
