28
Oct 2016
Three-quarters of maternity wards have no overnight consultants
Research has shown that babies born out of hours are 30 per cent more likely to die or suffer serious complications.
A major audit published today, using figures obtained by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, has revealed that three in four maternity wards have no consultant at the hospital overnight and half of hospitals have no senior specialists at weekends.
This leaves mothers and babies in the hands of overworked midwives and often inexperienced junior doctors, who are less likely to know when things are going wrong. Consultants are on call during these hours, but they may live up to 30 minutes away, and experts say junior doctors and midwives are often reluctant to summon their help.
The Birth Trauma Association’s Maureen Treadwell, said “We are concerned at the number of hospital trusts with no consultant cover at night.
“There are a number of rare but sudden catastrophic events in labour where a less experienced doctor may need the advice or assistance of a senior colleague.
“These are not common events, but every year some women and babies will die as a result of substandard care, often from staff who are doing their best, but may never have dealt with such a condition.”
The National Childbirth Trust’s Elizabeth Duff, said “Women need safe maternity services whenever they give birth. We know more needs to be done to provide the right level of staff to give support when necessary.”
The NHS is shortly to publish a new Ofsted-style ratings system for maternity care, in an attempt to improve hospital standards, with health boards given a grading from outstanding to inadequate based on women’s experiences and safety records.
Chadwick Lawrence’s team of medical negligence lawyers have years of experience in high value and complex medical negligence compensation claims and have an excellent record. The team is led by Tony May, a specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitor, who has over 20 years experience in handling cases in which babies have been brain damaged or sustained other injuries as a result of medical negligence. He and his team continue to represent many cerebral palsy children and young adults in medical negligence claims. Tony also acts as the Court of Protection Deputy for many of the cerebral palsy and brain damaged clients that he has represented, so we can continue to support you after your case is settled. Tony can be contacted by email on tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk. Alternatively, please call and speak to any of Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist medical negligence Legal Aid and no win-no fee solicitors for free legal advice on the freephone number below.
Freephone: 0800 028 2969
For further information, please see our cerebral palsy and birth injury website:
http://www.cerebralpalsyclaimssolicitors.co.uk
Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
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