The World Health Organisation highlights that the UK is amongst the top provider of neonatal care worldwide and evidence shows significant improvements in care in the UK over the last two decades. Nevertheless, it remains that avoidable baby deaths are still a real problem.
Avoidable Baby Deaths – The Each Baby Counts Inquiry Report
The BBC recently reported that an inquiry by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists looked at over 700 neonatal deaths and in 75% of cases, there may have been a different outcome had different care been provided. The Each Baby Counts inquiry report states:
“Although the UK remains one of the safest places to give birth, serious incidents do occur, some of which could be prevented if different care were given.”
Poor care is the reason why hundreds of babies across the country are either dying in labour or suffering severe brain injuries.
The report investigated 1,136 stillbirths, neonatal deaths and brain injuries across the UK in 2015. Of these:
- 126 babies were stillborn;
- 156 died within the first seven days after birth;
- 854 babies had severe brain injury.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
The problem in neonatal care is movingly evidenced by baby deaths at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (“the Trust”). An investigation has found that there have been at least 9 deaths in less than 24 months at the Trust, all of which have been deemed avoidable. A failure to properly monitor the baby’s heart rate was a contributory factor in the vast majority of these deaths. In other cases, the factors were varied, including beds not being available resulting in induction being delayed. It is thought that two deaths were not properly investigated by the Trust and in one case, it took seven years for the Trust to accept responsibility.
The Heath Secretary, Mr Jeremy Hunt, ordered NHS England and NHS Improvement to review the deaths and maternity services generally at the Trust.
This is not the first time baby deaths have been investigated at the Trust. In 2009, an NHS England investigation in relation to one avoidable death found a “lack of a safety culture” at the Trust along with failures in accountability and in lessons being learnt. Shrewsbury and Telford Trust has been rated as one of the worst in the country in learning from mistakes and incidents and a poor reporting culture was identified.
Improvements have been made at the Trust with their mortality rates now in line with the national average.
The incidents at Shrewsbury and Telford is perhaps evidence of a much more wide spread problem in neonatal care throughout the United Kingdom. Mr Hunt has said:
“While maternal and neonatal deaths are falling, together we need to do even more to make sure fewer families suffer the heartache of losing a baby…”.
The fact that the United Kingdom is amongst the top provider of neonatal care worldwide is not enough. Every avoidable baby death is one too many. Although the government is actively trying to address the problem, the question remains whether enough is being done and being done soon enough.
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