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| Baby ward shortages 'scandalous' | Baby ward shortages 'scandalous' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A coroner has branded midwife shortages at a hospital where a newborn baby girl died as "nothing short of scandalous". | A coroner has branded midwife shortages at a hospital where a newborn baby girl died as "nothing short of scandalous". |
| In a narrative verdict, deputy coroner for Milton Keynes Thomas Osborne said "systems failures" and overstretched staff led to the death of Ebony McCall. | In a narrative verdict, deputy coroner for Milton Keynes Thomas Osborne said "systems failures" and overstretched staff led to the death of Ebony McCall. |
| An inquest heard she only had a faint heartbeat when she was born by Caesarean section at Milton Keynes General Hospital in May this year. | An inquest heard she only had a faint heartbeat when she was born by Caesarean section at Milton Keynes General Hospital in May this year. |
| Her mother, Amanda McCall, had medical conditions and had only one kidney. | Her mother, Amanda McCall, had medical conditions and had only one kidney. |
| Tony Halton, director of nursing at Milton Keynes Hospital, said: "On behalf of the Trust I would like to offer the McCall family our deepest condolences. | Tony Halton, director of nursing at Milton Keynes Hospital, said: "On behalf of the Trust I would like to offer the McCall family our deepest condolences. |
| "We are very sorry indeed for the distress and grief caused to them by the death of their daughter Ebony." | "We are very sorry indeed for the distress and grief caused to them by the death of their daughter Ebony." |
| He added: "Changes have already been made to the way we work to further improve the safety of our maternity services." | He added: "Changes have already been made to the way we work to further improve the safety of our maternity services." |
| Amanda's father Terry McCall: "It has had a huge emotional effect on her" | |
| Miss McCall's consultant Anthony Stock had earlier told the inquest: "The care in this case should have been consultant-led. | Miss McCall's consultant Anthony Stock had earlier told the inquest: "The care in this case should have been consultant-led. |
| "The care did not come up to a standard that I would have expected normally for a patient booked in my name." | "The care did not come up to a standard that I would have expected normally for a patient booked in my name." |
| He said Miss McCall was considered "low risk" in cardiac terms but when she came into hospital with stomach pain, would have been "high risk". | He said Miss McCall was considered "low risk" in cardiac terms but when she came into hospital with stomach pain, would have been "high risk". |
| Miss McCall, now 18, was admitted to hospital on 8 May with stomach pains and went into labour that night but her baby's heartbeat became erratic. | Miss McCall, now 18, was admitted to hospital on 8 May with stomach pains and went into labour that night but her baby's heartbeat became erratic. |
| Medical staff said a Caesarean would be too risky, despite her own midwife supporting the request. | |
| ANALYSIS By Nick Triggle BBC Health Reporter Despite the controversy over maternity standards at Milton Keynes Hospital, the NHS still provides some of the safest care in the world. | |
| There are just 3.2 deaths for every 1,000 lives births, but the overwhelming majority of these are linked to premature birth or physical defects. | |
| The rate is similar to the top-performing European countries, such as Germany and France, and better than many other rich nations, including the US and Italy. | |
| But that is not to say the health service does not have its own problems. Other hospitals, including London's Northwick Park a few years ago, have faced similar criticisms to Milton Keynes. | |
| And while these are obviously some of the worst examples in the health service, there is still one underlying problem which can be found on almost every maternity ward in the country - staff shortages. | |
| Ask most midwives and they will say they are facing too many demands on their time, forcing them to juggle women in labour. | |
| Instead, she was advised to have an induced birth to ease her symptoms, but she refused because of the pain she was in and an emergency Caesarean was carried out, the hearing heard. | Instead, she was advised to have an induced birth to ease her symptoms, but she refused because of the pain she was in and an emergency Caesarean was carried out, the hearing heard. |
| Ebony was born at 0321 GMT on 9 May and had suffered brain damage due to a lack of oxygen and died 14 minutes later, a pathologist told the inquest. | Ebony was born at 0321 GMT on 9 May and had suffered brain damage due to a lack of oxygen and died 14 minutes later, a pathologist told the inquest. |
| The three-day inquest was told that staff and bed shortages at the hospital had brought criticism. | The three-day inquest was told that staff and bed shortages at the hospital had brought criticism. |
| Last year, Mr Osborne reported the hospital to the Department of Health after the death of baby Romy Feast, who was born by Caesarean section at the hospital in 2007 but died after her cardiotocography (CTG) was misinterpreted. | Last year, Mr Osborne reported the hospital to the Department of Health after the death of baby Romy Feast, who was born by Caesarean section at the hospital in 2007 but died after her cardiotocography (CTG) was misinterpreted. |
| A Healthcare Commission investigation was launched and Mr Osborne told the hearing the 2008 report found many recommendations had not been met. | A Healthcare Commission investigation was launched and Mr Osborne told the hearing the 2008 report found many recommendations had not been met. |
| The Ebony McCall case has now been referred to the Secretary of State for further investigation. | The Ebony McCall case has now been referred to the Secretary of State for further investigation. |
| Speaking after the inquest, Amanda's father Terry McCall said: "There seems to be no reason that Ebony died. | Speaking after the inquest, Amanda's father Terry McCall said: "There seems to be no reason that Ebony died. |
| "She was born at full term and she was a healthy 7lbs 4oz and, even thought she had a slight infection, had the problems been picked up it's likely she would have been with us now, celebrating her first Christmas." | "She was born at full term and she was a healthy 7lbs 4oz and, even thought she had a slight infection, had the problems been picked up it's likely she would have been with us now, celebrating her first Christmas." |
| He added: "I am absolutely enraged to think that there was no reason for Ebony's death." | He added: "I am absolutely enraged to think that there was no reason for Ebony's death." |
| Milton Keynes NHS Foundation Trust's Tony Halton: "We are very sorry indeed" | Milton Keynes NHS Foundation Trust's Tony Halton: "We are very sorry indeed" |
| He said Ebony's death had had a devastating impact on the family. | He said Ebony's death had had a devastating impact on the family. |
| "During the summer instead of going around walking our new granddaughter in her pushchair we were having to go round cemeteries with Amanda as she decided where to bury her." | "During the summer instead of going around walking our new granddaughter in her pushchair we were having to go round cemeteries with Amanda as she decided where to bury her." |
| The Care Quality Commission (CQC) health regulator said the coroner's findings would be used in a follow-up to the 2008 report on the maternity unit. | The Care Quality Commission (CQC) health regulator said the coroner's findings would be used in a follow-up to the 2008 report on the maternity unit. |
| This said a lack of resources, mainly in the number of midwives and bed capacity, was putting maternity services at risk. | This said a lack of resources, mainly in the number of midwives and bed capacity, was putting maternity services at risk. |
| Amanda Sherlock, deputy director of frontline operations at the CQC, said: "The death of Ebony is an absolute tragedy. | Amanda Sherlock, deputy director of frontline operations at the CQC, said: "The death of Ebony is an absolute tragedy. |
| "It is clear that the unit was insufficiently prepared to cope with the pressures on that particular night and that Ebony did not get the care she needed as a result." | "It is clear that the unit was insufficiently prepared to cope with the pressures on that particular night and that Ebony did not get the care she needed as a result." |