Hospital acts after tragic baby’s death
THE HOSPITAL has brought in extra measures after a baby died aged just seven days following a bleed on the brain.
Rufus Mycock appeared to be ‘perfectly normal’ following a ‘difficult’ birth at Macclesfield Hospital on October 18, 2014, an inquest at Macclesfield Coroner’s Court heard.
But the baby took a turn for the worse at home five days later and was taken to Macclesfield Hospital where a scan revealed he had a bleed on his brain.
He was transported to Manchester Children’s Hospital to undergo emergency surgery but died on October 25.
The inquest heard the hospital has brought in extra measures since the baby’s death but that nothing could have been done to save him.
Rufus was born after a ‘Ventouse’ delivery – a vacuum assisted delivery.
Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg could not conclude the baby died from natural causes due to the fact that there was a Ventouse delivery, but laid no blame on the hospital for Rufus’s death.
Pathologist Dr Melanie Newbould told the court that Rufus’s cause of death was a large bleed on the brain, leading to a decrease in oxygen in the blood supply and subsequent brain damage, and a blood-clotting protein deficiency consistent with haemophilia following a Ventouse delivery.
Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said: “The cause of death has been difficult to fully interpret, on the balance of probability I accept the expert opinion of Dr Newbould.
“Bearing in mind there was an instrument associated with Rufus’s death I don’t regard it as naturally occurring and conclude Rufus died by misadventure, an unintended consequence of an intended act.”
An East Cheshire NHS Trust spokesman said changes brought in at the hospital since the death were to do with internal matters, not the treatment baby Rufus received.
He said: “We would like to express our deepest sympathies to Rufus’s family.
“A review of Rufus’s care identified some learning for our staff relating to timely communication and documentation but did not find any significant concerns relating to the treatment he received.
“Our thoughts are with Rufus’s family.”
Rufus’s parents, Matthew and Hazel, from Leek, and their family have raised £20,000 for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital charity since his death and are continuing to raise funds.