Grieving parents win review

Grieving parents who have been fighting for the past six years for more answers over their daughter’s stillbirth have been promised a new review will be carried out.

Darcey Bates was stillborn in January 2014 after mum Michelle was rushed into Peterborough City Hospital by ambulance. Both the hospital and East of England Ambulance Service have carried out reviews into Darcey’s death, but Michelle and dad Simon do not believe all their questions have been answered. In particular, they want to find out why the ambulance service allegedly downgraded their 999 call to non lifethreatening when a heavily pregnant Michelle was bleeding heavily at their home in Bretton. However, their quest for further information has been hamstrung as coroners can only hold inquests for babies who have shown signs of life after being born, although the Government signalled last year it was looking to change the law. Now, though, Michelle and Simon said they have been told by the hospital trust and ambulance service that new reviews will be carried out, although the latter told the Peterborough Telegraph it had already re-reviewed its findings. Mr Bates said: “Following numerous requests over the last six years both the ambulance service and city hospital refused to re-investigate the events that morning that led to Darcey’s death and what put her mum’s life at risk too. “With support from our legal team and the coroner I have continued to campaign and raise awareness through her Facebook page Darcey’s Dreams for the last six years and they have both now agreed to do a clinical investigation. “We recently celebrated Darcey’s sixth birthday and it now looks that we will soon get justice for Darcey. “Our aim is to make sure no other parent has to wait for the truth and answers following the death of a child for as long as we have.” The North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust which runs the city hospital - apologised to the couple in January after they were told a Serious Incident Report would be carried out, as the consultants who made the pledge were not in a position to do so. However, in a letter sent to Simon and Michelle it said it would commit to carrying out a further clinical review into Darcey’s death which it said will be a “Serious Incident Report in all but name”. Trust medical director Dr Kanchan Rege told the PT: “The trust is conducting a clinical review at the request of the family.” An ambulance service spokesman said: “We have re-reviewed our original investigation of 2014 and have shared our findings with Mr Bates and his family. “We will work with our colleagues at Peterborough hospital to offer the family our continued support at this difficult time.” The Ministry of Justice opened up a consultation last year into changing the law so inquests can be held into all stillbirths. The Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland confirmed in Parliament on Tuesday that the consultation response will be published in early summer.

Michelle and Simon with Darcey