The Department of Health announced on 7 March 2016 a capital investment programme to improve safety for mothers and babies across the country. This is part of the government’s campaign to halve the number of stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth, by 2030.
Over £2 million of investment in safer maternity care has been agreed and has been allocated amongst more than 90 NHS Trusts. Each will receive money to buy new equipment, including ultrasound machines and mother and baby monitoring equipment, so that any problems can be detected and addressed earlier.
Although this investment is welcome, the amount agreed is miniscule in comparison to the amount of damages that is likely to be awarded in a claim for compensation for injuries and financial provision of care and therapy for lifetime provision for just one injured baby who develops cerebral palsy as a result of negligent clinical treatment between now and 2030. Present figures suggest that there are dozens who sustain such injuries each year.
Many of these claims arise due to a lack of senior medical practitioners being present on the labour wards at the relevant times and it could easily be argued that funding of the extra staffing levels required instead would cause a greater impact on safety for expectant mothers and their children.
In Warwickshire, University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust will receive £30k to create “an enhanced maternity training and facility strategy to reduce risk and improving experience for Coventry and Warwickshire’s pregnant women and babies.” South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded £27k for “Improving neonatal outcomes in babies requiring respiratory support at birth.” George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust in Nuneaton has been awarded £28k for “Foetal surveillance innovation.”
If you have encountered problems with maternity care in Warwickshire or indeed elsewhere leading to maternal death and injuries, cerebral palsy or other brain injury, a stillbirth or neonatal death and wish to explore the possibility of a claim for compensation, please contact Tony Hall of Alsters Kelley LLP on 01926 356053 or email him on tony.hall@alsterskelley.com .
Tony is a Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel and Referral Panel solicitor for Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) with many years’ experience in dealing with such claims sympathetically and cost effectively.
For details of the full list of award made under this Government scheme, please refer to: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/505164/Preventing_avoidable_harm_in_maternity__successful_bids_A.pdf
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