"At least 58 babies at an NHS maternity unit might have survived with better care, a BBC investigation has found. The deaths included 32 stillbirths and 26 neonatal deaths - which is a death within 28 days - at Oxford University Hospitals Trust (OUH) between 2019 and 2024, according to a Freedom of Information request."
"Bereaved and harmed mothers have blamed missed chances, "arrogance" among some senior doctors and a "defensive culture". In a statement, OUH said it was sorry some mothers have had experiences that have left them feeling this way."
"They should've got me in straight away, they should've seen me as soon as I turned up to hospital because I was classed as high risk, they should have listened to the midwives that were watching that CTG (cardiotocography) quite closely but everything got overruled [by the doctors]."
A BBC investigation revealed that at least 58 babies at Oxford University Hospitals Trust maternity unit might have survived with improved care between 2019 and 2024. The deaths comprised 32 stillbirths and 26 neonatal deaths within 28 days of birth. Bereaved and harmed mothers attributed these deaths to missed opportunities, arrogance among senior doctors, and a defensive institutional culture. The trust acknowledged mothers' negative experiences and stated that all baby deaths undergo detailed review to identify necessary improvements. Cases like Eleanor Taylor-Verlaan's daughter Alissa demonstrate failures in monitoring high-risk pregnancies and responding to maternal concerns, with mothers reporting that medical staff overruled midwife observations and dismissed warning signs.
#nhs-maternity-care #patient-safety-failures #hospital-accountability #perinatal-deaths #healthcare-investigation
Read at www.bbc.com
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