Explaining care

Chief nurse and director of quality at East Kent Hospitals Sally Smith said: “We are sorry Ms Bayfield has concerns about her care, and we extend our condolences to Ms Bayfield for her sad loss.

“It would not be appropriate for us to comment on a patient’s specific circumstances through the press, but we are responding directly to Ms Bayfield to reassure her and explain her care.

“As a general rule, a cervical stitch would only be offered to women with specific medical needs, because there are risks involved with the procedure.” ment, losing her baby daughter, Isabella.

Ms Bayfield has described how she went into premature labour, but says the paramedics called to her home didn’t believe her.

She said: “The paramedic displayed a very bad attitude, I think she thought I was putting it on. Earlier I’d had an ultrasound scan, so she said I couldn’t be going into labour. She asked me to open my legs to look.

“She was reluctant to take me to hospital but did so because she called the midwife to check.

“Then at the hospital I was told to walk from A&E to the delivery room, from one side of the hospital to the other. I could feel the amniotic sac between my legs.”

Ms Bayfield has since received a letter from the ambulance service’s patient experience manager, Graham Parrish, expressing “sincere apologies on behalf of the trust”.

In the letter, Mr Parrish explained that the paramedic was “extremely upset” to hear about the miscarriage and “expressed her deep regret” about Ms Bayfield’s concerns.