Hospital says sorry for baby’s death
MUM WHOSE NEWBORN BABY DIED DISMISSED AS ‘TIME WASTER’ BY MEDIC
A NEWBORN baby died after her mother’s severe labour pains were dismissed as constipation by hospital staff.
Bosses at Stepping Hill have now apologised for the failings in mum Joanne Farrar’s care during the delivery of her baby girl, Ava, in July 2014.
Grieving parents Joanne and James Farrar have waited three years for the apology, and want to ensure the same mistakes are not repeated.
Joanne, 41, said she knew she was in labour when she started to experience severe pain and discomfort on July 7, 2014.
But when she arrived at Stepping Hill in Stockport, doctors said she had an infection and insisted she was constipated.
The mum-of-two claims she was dismissed by one medic as a ‘timewaster.’
It was only when Joanne suffered a bleed her labour was confirmed. Her daughter Ava was born via a caesarean section.
But Joanne and James were devastated to learn their baby had suffered severe brain damage during delivery.
The couple then made the heartbreaking decision to turn off their daughter’s life-support machine at the Royal Oldham Hospital on July 12.
A post-mortem indicated that while Ava was fully developed at the time of her birth, evidence suggested she had been deprived of oxygen.
Joanne, from Ashbourne in the Peak District, said: “I did everything I was told by hospital staff, so was stunned when I had some issues with them.
“At one point I overheard a doctor refusing to examine me and calling me a ‘time-waster,’ while it was also suggested that I have a natural birth despite the issues with my previous pregnancies.
“It was an incredibly upsetting time.”
An inquest into her death concluded Ava died of natural causes, contributed to by neglect.
Joanne added: “Having had two children already, I knew what I was experiencing was undoubtedly labour.
“I managed to get myself to hospital and told the doctors and midwives, but they claimed it was just a urinary tract infection.
“To make matters worse, when tests came back clear I was then told I was constipated and given medication for it.
“I was in utter disbelief as no one was listening to me.”
Following their daughter’s death the couple instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to help them hold Stepping Hill to account.
Lawyers managed to secure a settlement as well as a written apology from Ann Barnes, chief executive of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.
“I deeply regret that the standard of care that your daughter received was inadequate and I would like to take this time to express my deepest sympathy on the loss of your daughter and the distress that this and subsequent investigations have caused you and your family,” the letter said.
A spokesman for the trust added: “We failed to provide a reasonable standard of antenatal care for Joanne and baby Ava and for that we are deeply sorry.
“We launched an immediate investigation afterwards, to ensure that something like this does not happen again.
“We would like to take this opportunity to repeat our sincere apologies, sympathy and condolences.”