'Missed opportunities' by Calderdale Royal Hospital staff contributed to baby's death

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-35756664

Version 0 of 1.

A series of delays and missed opportunities to provide medical intervention contributed to the death of a baby boy at Calderdale Royal Hospital, a coroner has said.

Gino Asquith was born on 9 November 2014, but died three days later.

His mother, Sarah Ellis, had been sent home from the hospital two days earlier as there were no free beds.

She was seen by eight medics before having an emergency caesarean after they failed to spot signs of distress.

Recording a verdict of death by misadventure Coroner Oliver Longstaff said there had been four missed chances to provide medical input.

The inquest heard that after Ms Ellis was turned away by Calderdale Royal Hospital (CRH), in Halifax, she went to Huddersfield Birthing Centre, but was sent home on 8 November as her labour was not in an advanced stage.

'Lessons must be learned'

The following day she went back to CRH as she could no longer feel her baby moving but was told she was not dilated enough and was left in the Maternity Assessment Unit for six hours.

She later underwent an emergency Caesarean section after being seen by a consultant. Gino had to be resuscitated twice after his birth.

Mr Longtsaff said: "At the very least the delays in Gino being delivered made the chance of him being born alive significantly reduced."

Speaking after the inquest, Ms Ellis and her partner Adam Asquith said: "Words cannot explain what we have been through in losing our first child together in this terrible way.

"It is hard to accept that the delays we faced and the failure to pick up signs that Gino was in distress led to his death.

"We can only hope that by speaking out we will ensure lessons are learned and that mothers and their babies are in the best possible hands when they are at their most vulnerable."

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust admitted liability for Gino's death in a civil case ahead of the inquest.