East Kent NHS Foundation Trust – errors responsible for at least seven baby deaths

An investigation has found that at least seven preventable baby deaths could have occurred since 2016, raising significant concerns about maternity services at the trust.

A spokesperson from the trust has said “We have been making changes to improve our maternity service for a number of years. Every baby and every family is important to us. We recognise that we need to improve the speed of change.

“We express our heartfelt condolences to every family that has lost a loved one and we wholeheartedly apologise to families for whom we could have done things differently.”

The news that mistakes could have led to the deaths comes after scandals at Shrewsbury and Telford and Morecambe Bay.

Research shows that out of 700,000 births a year in England and Wales, around 5,000 are stillborn or die before they reach a month of age. Although this figure is around a fifth lower than a decade ago, it still remains higher than in a number of other Western countries.

Although many happen due to unavoidable reasons, each year around 1,000 unexpected deaths and serious brain injuries occur unexpectedly.

In 2015, the government set of target of reducing by 50 per cent the rate of baby deaths, stillbirths and brain injury by 2030. The target has since been brought forward to 2025. As part of the initiative, the Healthcare Safety Investigations Branch has been tasked with investigating all potentially avoidable cases instead of leaving it to the hospitals themselves.

However, whilst this is welcomed, unions argue that one of the biggest concerns, a lack of staff, has still not been solved.

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 Freephone 0800 304 7382.