Couple from Leeds calling for an independent public inquiry into the city's maternity services
It's after new data from MBBRACE-UK shows the scale of the mortality rates
A couple from Leeds who lost their baby are calling for an independent public inquiry into the city's maternity services, as new data shows the scale of the mortality rates.
Figures from MBRRACE for 2023, which have just been released show more baby deaths occurred at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust than other comparable trusts.
Fiona Winser-Ramm and her husband Dan's daughter, Aliona Grace died in 2020, 27 minutes after she was born.
An inquest found it was following 'neglect with a number of gross failures of the most basic nature.'
Fiona and Dan now want to see an inquiry announced as soon as possible, Fiona said:
"How bad does it have to get before people within Government will step in and do what needs to be done, how many more peoples lives need to be ruined?"
Dan then said:
"Our message to the Health Secretary Wes Streeting is can you afford to wait another year, before you put this public inquiry in place?"
An investigation by the BBC found last month the deaths of 56 babies at Leeds hospitals may have been preventable, and since then Fiona said many people have come forward sharing their stories on a Facebook group, set up for families affected by this.
She said:
"The numbers of people, additional people that have come forward has been shocking, the kind of stories that we've been hearing and experiences people have had are horrific, and many things of repeated themes."
Dr Magnus Harrison, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said:
“We apologise to the women and families who have described poor experiences of care, and we offer our sincere condolences to those families who have lost loved ones.
“We are committed to providing high quality, inclusive, compassionate, and safe care to families who use our maternity services, and we are sorry to hear that on some occasions we fell short of this.
“The safety of our patients is paramount and we recognise these figures from MBRRACE may cause concern.
“The neonatal service at Leeds is one of a handful of specialist centres across the country caring for the most poorly babies, with joint cardiac and surgical services. There is an increasing number of complex pregnancies and births, and babies born with complex conditions, in the Leeds and Yorkshire region, which are not always taken into account in the MBRRACE data.
“Every death of a baby is a tragedy and we will continue to review all deaths and work together with families and peer organisations in the neonatal network to ensure that we share learning.
“We will continue to review our neonatal and perinatal mortality rates working in conjunction with our peers to identify further actions we can take to improve.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:
“Too many women are not receiving the safe, personalised and compassionate maternity care they deserve, but through our Plan for Change, this government is determined to change that.
“This starts with listening to women and families to learn lessons, improve care and ensure mistakes are not repeated. We will support trusts to make rapid improvements, and we will work closely with NHS England to train thousands more midwives to support women throughout their pregnancy and beyond."