More families in Leeds say they are affected by maternity 'failings' in the city
Lawyers at a firm in Leeds say they are representing a number of families in the city who say they have been affected by what the are calling maternity 'failings'.
It's after more parents in Leeds and surrounding areas have raised care they had when they had their babies at the LGI and St James's.
Katie Warner, an expert medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mithell’s Leeds office, representing families with maternity care concerns, said:
“The issue of maternity services in Leeds continues to be a great concern and we continue to be contacted by a growing number of families needing help.
“Those families have suffered the devastation of either losing a baby, their child being left with life-long disabilities and/or mums being left seriously injured. Their experiences vividly highlight the importance of ensuring the highest standards of maternity safety are upheld at all times.
“Our clients’ experiences illustrate ongoing issues with the standard of care being provided. All families who have suffered injury or loss as a result of maternity care provided in Leeds deserve honest answers regarding their care and information about what’s being done to improve maternity safety for others.
“These latest reports just add to our clients’ fears.
“Many of our clients have experienced issues such as poor communication between medical staff and families, the heart-rate monitoring of babies and not listening to mums’ concerns. We’re working to secure answers for our clients, along with ensuring, where appropriate, they receive damages so they can access the specialist support or access to life-long therapies and rehabilitation they require.
“It’s sadly too late for our clients but we once again call on the Hospital Trust to ensure it actually does take the necessary and decisive action needed to ensure that improvements in maternity care are made.”
Dr Magnus Harrison, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:
“We are deeply sorry that the families have been let down by the maternity care they have received at Leeds Teaching Hospitals. We offer our condolences to those who have lost loved ones.
“Every year, we are privileged to support around 9,000 families through one of life’s most important moments, and we are fully committed to ensuring that every family receives safe, respectful and compassionate care. We are listening to the voices of our families and our staff, and we recognise we need to make improvements.
“Since the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in December 2024, we have taken clear steps to make real and lasting changes, with support from NHS England and the CQC. We have commissioned an independent external review to complement NHS England’s Peer Quality Review of our neonatal services, so that we can better understand the data on neonatal outcomes.
“We are investing in our workforce, focusing on consistently safe staffing levels, and strengthening our culture to prioritise openness, compassion and respect. Recognising and responding to the moments that matter to our patients is essential to building the maternity service that all our families deserve.
“We welcome people sharing their experiences with us, which can be done through our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). Your thoughts matter to us, and we are here to listen and take action.
“We await the final CQC reports on our maternity and neonatal services and we will be open and transparent in sharing further information on future improvement plans with our patients and staff.”