East Kent maternity deaths – babies may have survived with better care

A damning independent review has found that up to 45 babies might have survived if they had received better care at East Kent NHS Hospitals Trust.

 

The review uncovered a “clear pattern” of “sub-optimal” care that led to significant harm, and added that families were ignored.

 

The medical experts reviewed an 11-year period from 2009 at two hospitals in Ashford and Margate.

 

The independent review, which was chaired by Dr Bill Kirkup CBE, added the trust had given the appearance of “covering up the scale and systemic nature” of its problems.

 

Dr Kirkup’s team found “gross failures” of team-working across the trust’s maternity services, with some staff acting as if they were responsible for “separate fiefdoms” cultivating a culture of tribalism.

 

The report added “The dysfunctional working we have found between and within professional groups has been fundamental to the sub-optimal care provided in both hospitals.”

 

A prominent theme which emerged during the review was the presence of “challenging personalities, big egos, huge egos”, with one group dubbed “the A-team”.

 

A lack of compassion was also highlighted, with one woman “dismissively” told during an antenatal check to look up extra information on Google.

 

Tracey Fletcher, chief executive at the Trust, said she apologised unreservedly for the “harm and suffering” caused, adding “These families came to us expecting that we would care for them safely, and we failed them.”

 

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 a 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