Royal Oldham Hospital admits baby forceps death

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-33989147

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A hospital trust has admitted causing the death of a baby who suffered "catastrophic head injuries" after five forceps delivery attempts failed.

Thomas Beaty died 26 hours after an emergency Caesarean section at the Royal Oldham Hospital in April 2014.

His parents Hannah, 33, and Martin, 35, were "saddened" at the hospital's "inevitable" admission.

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has apologised. It has introduced new guidelines for using forceps.

Greater Manchester North coroner Lisa Hashmi wrote to the trust, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Department of Health, after his inquest in April.

She stated that guidance on forceps use "at the time of Thomas's birth was found to be ambiguous, misleading and potentially open to misinterpretation".

'Wanted answers'

The Beaty family's solicitors Slater Gordon said the trust, which runs the hospital, admitted the baby died as a result of head injuries sustained from the repeated use of forceps and being pushed back into the womb.

The inquest recorded a narrative verdict.

Mrs Beaty said: "We wanted answers, we wanted the hospital to be accountable for what they had done, but we also wanted change so that other families wouldn't have to go through what happened to us."

"I don't think forceps should be used at all, not if there's even the slightest risk that another baby could suffer like our son," she said.

Gill Harris, chief nurse at trust, said: "We have introduced a maternity services improvement plan.

"We have introduced new guidelines around the use of forceps during delivery and the staff involved have been retrained."

The trust said the NHS Litigation Authority had admitted liability in a letter to the Beaty family's solicitor.