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Stillborn baby

Posted By Miss_J

"Stillborn baby"

About: North Devon District Hospital / Maternity care South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust / Emergency ambulance

(as a parent/guardian),

Last year my partner and I drove to the hospital as I was in active labour at 37 weeks. We had felt the baby move the night before so we were so excited to be welcoming our son to the world. Our son was born in the car on the way as it was a very quick labour. Unfortunately he wasn’t breathing so my partner called an ambulance. After arriving at the hospital (we had to drive ourselves despite there being 2 ambulances) and the baby having been given CPR the doctors decided it was best to stop and he was pronounced deceased. Our world absolutely collapsed and fell apart. 

After weeks of investigations carried out by an independent team they found 14 failings, one of which was fatal to the baby. The major failing was that the midwives failed to refer us to an OB after recording a decline in the baby’s growth at 36 weeks. 

My partner and I feel massively let down by the NHS as now we have to live with the grief of losing our gorgeous baby boy, something so small could have saved him. 

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Responses

Response from Melanie Hayward, Deputy Head of Midwifery & Gynaecology (Eastern & Northern Services), Maternity (Eastern & Northern Services), Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 3 weeks ago
Melanie Hayward
Deputy Head of Midwifery & Gynaecology (Eastern & Northern Services), Maternity (Eastern & Northern Services),
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 04/04/2024 at 12:05
Published on Care Opinion at 14:05

Dear Miss J

Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback at what is such a difficult time for you and your family. I am the Deputy Head of Midwifery and Gynaecology and on behalf of the RDUH I would like to sincerely express my condolences on the loss of your son.

Due to Care Opinion being an anonymous feedback portal, it is not appropriate for me to publicly comment on your individual case, however I would welcome the opportunity to discuss further with you if you feel this would be beneficial, or I can offer you a meeting with someone else within the team. Please contact me on melanie.hayward2@nhs.net if you would like to arrange this.

If you would prefer to raise a formal complaint via the NHS Complaints process the email address is rduh.complaints-northern@nhs.net. Details of the complaints process are available on our website via this link https://www.royaldevon.nhs.uk/patients-visitors/patient-advice-and-liaison-service-pals/.

Once again, please accept my heartfelt condolences.

Kind regards

Mel

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Response from Deanne Hill, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust 2 weeks ago
Deanne Hill
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 10/04/2024 at 17:46
Published on Care Opinion on 11/04/2024 at 09:54

Dear Miss_J

Firstly, my deepest condolences for the loss of your son. I'm also saddened to hear the outcome of the investigation.

I'm afraid, as Mel has also said, the Care Opinion platform is completely anonymous and so I cannot answer any queries or comments here but, if you'd like to, you'd be most welcome to contact me directly at deanne.hill@swast.nhs.uk and I will ensure your email is forwarded onto the correct department.

If you'd like to make a formal complaint directly with the complaints team, please email patientexperience@swast.nhs.uk

I understand this will be a very difficult time for you and your family, we are dedicated to ensuring we as an Ambulance Service performed as well as possible when you needed us most, so please do let us know if you have any feedback specifically for the Ambulance Service, or if you have any questions I can help you with.

With sympathies,

Deanne Hill

Patient Engagement Manager, SWAST

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