East Kent hospitals: Care watchdog inspects trust after baby death apology – BBC News

‘England’s care watchdog has carried out a no-notice inspection of an NHS trust at the centre of concerns over the possible preventable deaths of babies.’

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BBC News, 24th January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

East Kent hospitals: Baby deaths ‘could have been prevented’ – BBC News

Posted January 23rd, 2020 in birth, hospitals, inquests, news, pregnancy by tracey

‘At least seven preventable baby deaths may have occurred at one of the largest groups of hospitals in England since 2016, a BBC investigation has found.’

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BBC News, 23rd January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

NHS maternity scandal: Inquiry into baby deaths now looking at 900 cases – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 16th, 2020 in birth, hospitals, inquiries, news, pregnancy by sally

‘The inquiry into Britain’s worst maternity scandal is now reviewing 900 cases, a health minister has confirmed.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th January 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

What would ‘mother’ say? A legal digest of R v Registrar General for England and Wales – KCH Garden Sq

‘The latest article from Family & Civil pupil Samuel Peake looks at how the term ‘mother’ was defined for the first time in common law earlier this year by the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane.’

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KCH Garden Sq, 12th December 2019

Source: kchgardensquare.co.uk

Family’s legal fight against hospital over brain injury baby – BBC News

Posted December 18th, 2019 in birth, children, families, hospitals, medical treatment, news by sally

‘The father of a brain-damaged baby boy has urged a hospital not to “rush” a decision to end his life support.’

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BBC News, 17th December 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Guidelines for judges to divert newborns from care proceedings – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 12th, 2019 in birth, care orders, judiciary, local government, news, pregnancy, reports by tracey

‘Newborns could be diverted from care proceedings if more time is given to pre-birth assessments where there are safeguarding concerns, according to a review published today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th December 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Disgraceful’: Furious families confront NHS trust bosses over maternity scandal as it emerges true extent may never be known – The Independent

‘The full extent of failings by the hospital trust at the centre of the largest NHS maternity scandal may never be known, it has emerged. The chair of the independent investigation into Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust has warned that some records going back more than two decades may have been destroyed under NHS rules.’

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The Independent, 28th November 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Hundreds more cases’ in Shropshire maternity scandal – BBC News

‘More than 200 new families have contacted an inquiry into mother and baby deaths at a hospital trust in Shropshire.’

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BBC News, 26th November 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Shrewsbury maternity scandal: Hundreds of families whose babies died or have been left with brain damage in hospital to be contacted by trust – The Independent

Posted November 22nd, 2019 in birth, families, hospitals, midwives, news, pregnancy, reports by tracey

‘Hundreds of families whose babies died or have been left with brain damage after maternity care treatment at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust are now being informed they are part of a major investigation into the largest scandal of its type ever to hit the NHS, following a report by The Independent.’

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The Independent, 21st November 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Doctors may face suspension over NHS ‘worst maternity scandal’ – The Guardian

‘Doctors who saw but did not report babies and mothers receiving poor care during the NHS’s worst maternity scandal could be suspended or struck off, the General Medical Council has warned. The medical profession’s regulator has asked NHS bosses for details of any doctor they believe may have ignored their professional duty to raise the alarm about threats to patient safety at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS hospital trust (SaTH).’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Independent report into NMC’s handling of Morecambe Bay cases finds significant failings – 2 Hare Court

Posted November 20th, 2019 in birth, disciplinary procedures, hospitals, midwives, news, reports by sally

‘The Morecambe Bay Investigation (the Kirkup Report) was an inquiry into the deaths of mothers and babies at Furness General Hospital midwifery unit between 2004 and 2012. It found ten stillbirths, six neonatal deaths, and three maternal deaths were part of a pattern of failures in care at every level within the unit. There was an inability to confront the endemic poor practice that linked the incidents, and a defensive approach amongst the midwifery team. This pattern of failures was not identified or acted on for several years.’

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2 Hare Court, 15th November 2019

Source: www.2harecourt.com

Judicial review challenge on health inequalities caused by NHS Charging Scheme for migrant women and their children – Garden Court Chambers

‘Judicial review proceedings have been launched on behalf of Maternity Action, a leading maternity rights charity, challenging the Secretary of State for Health’s NHS Charging Regime. The disproportionate effect of charging is most stark amongst destitute pregnant women, new mothers, survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and Female Genital Mutilation and destitute migrant families supported by local authorities, who are overwhelmingly women.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 15th October 2019

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Shamima Begum faces ‘extreme scenario’ in citizenship appeal – The Guardian

‘Shamima Begum, the former east London schoolgirl who fled to Syria and joined Islamic State, is facing an “extreme scenario” in which she will be unable to fight the case against her, a hearing has been told.’

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The Guardian, 24th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Pregnant In Prison: ‘I Told Them The Baby Was Coming And Ended Up Giving Birth In My Cell’ – Rights Info

‘A newborn baby recently died in prison after a woman gave birth alone in her cell at night.’

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Rights Info, 16th October 2019

Source: rightsinfo.org

HMP Bronzefield baby death ‘subject of 10 investigations’ – BBC News

‘The death of a newborn baby whose mother gave birth alone at Britain’s largest women’s prison is the subject of 10 investigations, a justice minister has told the Commons.’

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BBC News, October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

What is a“Mother”, in law? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘A person who undergoes the physical and biological process of carrying a pregnancy and giving birth, irrespective of gender? This was the ruling of the Rt. Hon. Sir Andrew McFarlane P, President of the Family Division, on 25th September in TT, R(on the application of) v The Registrar General for England and Wales [2019] EWHC 2384 (Fam) . He decided that the Claimant, (known as “TT”), who was legally recognised as male at the time of giving birth to his child, (“YY”), is correctly registered as “mother” on YY’s birth certificate.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 30th September 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Migrant women who have miscarriages ‘wrongly charged £7,000 for antenatal care’ – The Independent

Posted September 16th, 2019 in asylum, birth, hospitals, immigration, news, pregnancy by tracey

‘Migrant women who have miscarriages are being wrongly charged £7,000 for antenatal care despite never going into labour, doctors and campaigners have warned. Rules specify overseas women who are expecting a baby must be charged for NHS care – with charges starting at around £7,000 but potentially doubling if there are complications with the pregnancy.’

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The Independent, 15th September 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Giving birth and the Court of Protection – Transparency Project

Posted September 3rd, 2019 in birth, consent, Court of Protection, health, learning difficulties, news, pregnancy by sally

‘Every year, there are a handful of applications to the Court of Protection to authorise delivery a baby by caesarean section against the wishes of the mother, or where the mother is unable to express a preference due to significant mental impairment. Since the case of FG in 2014 (NHS Trust & Ors v FG [2014] EWCOP 30), the guidance given to medical practitioners has been that a court application is required where a c-section is proposed but the merits are finely balanced or will involve more than transient forcible restraint; where there is a serious dispute about the patient’s best interests; or where there is a real risk that the proposed treatment constitutes a deprivation of the patient’s liberty.’

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Transparency Project, 2nd September 2019

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

‘With great power comes great responsibility’ – contributory negligence post-Montgomery – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 22nd, 2019 in birth, contribution, doctors, hospitals, medical treatment, negligence, news by sally

‘Regardless of whether one attributes this famous quote to Voltaire or Spider-Man, the sentiment is the same. Power and responsibility should be in equilibrium. More power than responsibility leads to decision-making with little concern for the consequences and more responsibility than power leads to excessive caution. This article argues that there is now a disequilibrium in the NHS, which is the root cause for defensive medical practice and the growing NHS litigation bill.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 21st August 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Mother sues NHS for £200,000 claiming hospital failed to inform her of son’s Down’s Syndrome diagnosis – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 9th, 2019 in birth, hospitals, news, pregnancy by sally

‘Hospital notes show that a mother shouldn’t receive £200,000 in damages from the NHS for having child with Down’s Syndrome because she declined to have him tested before he was born, a court heard.’

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Daily Telegraph, 8th July 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk