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'Hundreds more cases' in Shropshire maternity scandal | 'Hundreds more cases' in Shropshire maternity scandal |
(32 minutes later) | |
More than 200 new families have contacted an inquiry into mother and baby deaths at a hospital trust in Shropshire. | More than 200 new families have contacted an inquiry into mother and baby deaths at a hospital trust in Shropshire. |
Investigators were already looking at more than 600 cases where newborns and mothers died or were left injured while in the care of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust. | Investigators were already looking at more than 600 cases where newborns and mothers died or were left injured while in the care of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust. |
One expert says the scandal, spanning decades, may be the tip of the iceberg. | One expert says the scandal, spanning decades, may be the tip of the iceberg. |
Dr Bill Kirkup says it suggests failure might be more widespread in the NHS. | Dr Bill Kirkup says it suggests failure might be more widespread in the NHS. |
Maternity failings | Maternity failings |
The surge in new cases follows the leak of an interim report last week. | The surge in new cases follows the leak of an interim report last week. |
The leaked report, compiled by the maternity expert Donna Ockenden for NHS Improvement, outlined a catalogue of maternity failings from 1979 to the present day that led to avoidable deaths of mothers and babies at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH). | The leaked report, compiled by the maternity expert Donna Ockenden for NHS Improvement, outlined a catalogue of maternity failings from 1979 to the present day that led to avoidable deaths of mothers and babies at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH). |
It revealed that some children were left disabled, staff got the names of some dead babies wrong and, in one case, referred to a child as "it". | It revealed that some children were left disabled, staff got the names of some dead babies wrong and, in one case, referred to a child as "it". |
Sources say hundreds of new families have now come forward in the wake of the coverage of the leaked report. | Sources say hundreds of new families have now come forward in the wake of the coverage of the leaked report. |
Kay Kelly, head of clinical negligence at the law firm Lanyon Bowdler, is a solicitor acting for some of the families involved. | Kay Kelly, head of clinical negligence at the law firm Lanyon Bowdler, is a solicitor acting for some of the families involved. |
She says that since the leaked report was made public, her firm alone has had more than 80 new inquiries. | She says that since the leaked report was made public, her firm alone has had more than 80 new inquiries. |
"A lot of them aren't brand new stories. | "A lot of them aren't brand new stories. |
"They're things that have happened many years ago and these people have been prompted to telephone us because of the story. | "They're things that have happened many years ago and these people have been prompted to telephone us because of the story. |
"Many of them are people who lost babies at the hospital and that worries me because I understood that the hospital had passed on the information to the Donna Ockenden inquiry." | "Many of them are people who lost babies at the hospital and that worries me because I understood that the hospital had passed on the information to the Donna Ockenden inquiry." |
One of those being represented by Kay Kelly is Chrissie, whose son, a twin, was left with cerebral palsy after birth. | One of those being represented by Kay Kelly is Chrissie, whose son, a twin, was left with cerebral palsy after birth. |
Chrissie's case against SaTH is continuing and she didn't want to be identified. | Chrissie's case against SaTH is continuing and she didn't want to be identified. |
But she told me she was furious that so many families have also had to go through the terrible events she experienced. | But she told me she was furious that so many families have also had to go through the terrible events she experienced. |
"Nobody learned any lessons from what happened to me. | "Nobody learned any lessons from what happened to me. |
"And to know now that there've been hundreds of cases, I'm angry. | "And to know now that there've been hundreds of cases, I'm angry. |
"I am really angry. Angry at them for lying to me. | "I am really angry. Angry at them for lying to me. |
"I'm angry for all the poor families, the hundreds of families and that's thousands of people because they've got the grandparents, the aunts, the uncles. | "I'm angry for all the poor families, the hundreds of families and that's thousands of people because they've got the grandparents, the aunts, the uncles. |
"I just feel overwhelmed at the moment with anger, anger and just, I don't understand it." | "I just feel overwhelmed at the moment with anger, anger and just, I don't understand it." |
There are concerns too that the failings seen at SaTH echo closely those at another maternity unit run by the Morecambe Bay Trust. | There are concerns too that the failings seen at SaTH echo closely those at another maternity unit run by the Morecambe Bay Trust. |
The man who headed the inquiry into that scandal where 11 babies and one mother died is Dr Bill Kirkup, a respected expert on maternity care. | The man who headed the inquiry into that scandal where 11 babies and one mother died is Dr Bill Kirkup, a respected expert on maternity care. |
"These are not two separate one-offs, these point to underlying systemic failure that might be widespread. | "These are not two separate one-offs, these point to underlying systemic failure that might be widespread. |
"The notion that it could never happen here is one of the most dangerous ones an NHS Trust can have. | "The notion that it could never happen here is one of the most dangerous ones an NHS Trust can have. |
"The truth is, there are points of learning from all of these things that everybody should be looking at and learning from." | "The truth is, there are points of learning from all of these things that everybody should be looking at and learning from." |
The investigation team is not expected to report until late next year. | The investigation team is not expected to report until late next year. |
But with families still coming forward, its work may last much longer. | But with families still coming forward, its work may last much longer. |
Donna Ockenden, chair of independent review, said: "I would like to thank the brave families who have come forward and shared their experiences - my team are now contacting families on a daily basis. If families would like to raise a concern I am asking them to please get in touch." |
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