Family left waiting 10 years for answers as to why baby was stillborn
A MOTHER who fought tirelessly for almost ten years to discover why her daughter was stillborn has said the wait for answers ‘only added further anguish and trauma’.
Rebecca Collins sued the HSE for negligence and breach of care, following the death of her baby Hannah in the womb.
In her legal papers before the High Court, she claimed the hospital management had learned through an internal review that signs that her baby was in trouble were not properly picked up on or acted upon. However, she was not made aware of this until May 2017, having pressed the hospital for answers.
Ms Collins, 40, from Carrigaholt, Co. Clare, said that she had gone to University Maternity Hospital Limerick on December 26, 2007, after her waters broke.
She was almost 40 weeks pregnant, meaning that she was at full term, and she was admitted to the antenatal ward.
She had four CTG readings, monitoring the unborn baby’s heartbeat, between that day and the next and all were interpreted as normal by hospital staff.
However, at 4.45am on December 28, a midwife who was performing routine checks noted that no heartbeat could be heard from the baby. Ms Collins then had an ultrasound, which confirmed that no foetal heartbeat could be detected.
Ms Collins was transferred to the labour ward, where at 3.21am she delivered a stillborn baby girl, and it was noted that there was a tight knot in the umbilical cord.
The legal papers stated that there was an internal inquiry at the hospital, in which it was discovered that there was a failure to identify and monitor a concerning CTG result on December 27, which should have been kept under review.
However, Ms Collins was not told about this finding until May 2017, almost ten years after her baby’s death. She claimed through Homs Assist solicitors that this lack of care in monitoring her baby’s heartbeat, and acting on the warning signs, had led to the stillbirth of that child and to severe emotional disturbance and upset for herself. She also claimed that the HSE had failed to have in place proper guidelines for the in-depth critical analysis of CTG readings, or any adequate decision-making guides for CTG interpretation.
She said the medics had failed to induce her labour at a time which could have saved the baby and that their level of observation and examination had fallen below an acceptable standard.
The case was settled for a sixfigure sum of damages and an admission of liability before Judge Paul Coffey, together with a public apology from the HSE.
Liam Reidy SC, for the family, noted that Rebecca and Tom Collins were in court with their four young daughters.
The letter of apology to Ms Collins, signed by Noreen Spillane, the chief operations officer of the UL Hospitals Group, stated: ‘The Maternity Hospital and the HSE would like to sincerely apologise to you and your family for the events that occurred on December 28, 2007, related to the still birth of your baby girl, Hannah.’
It acknowledged the lasting impact of the tragedy and said the family’s willingness to share their experience had been ‘invaluable’ in helping to improve the systems and processes in place for maternity services at the hospital.
Speaking outside court, Ms Collins said: ‘It only added further anguish and trauma to have to wait and fight for so long for answers. I should have left the hospital in a haze of love and excitement with my little bundle of joy – my little girl Hannah who would turn 16 this year.
‘Instead, I left the hospital knowing my beautiful girl who I carried for nine months never got the chance to breathe life. That feeling of emptiness, immense loss and pain and a lack of understanding still haunts me to this day.’
Her solicitor, Rachael O’Shaughnessy, said the ruling was further evidence of the urgent need for mandatory disclosure of medical negligence and for the
No heartbeat was detected ‘Fought his case with great dignity’
Patient Safety Bill to be passed as quickly as possible into law.
Ms O’Shaughnessy said: ‘While a long-awaited milestone was celebrated to see the Patient Safety Bill pass the report stage last month, we still need to see it move forward swiftly to become law. Cases such as this highlight the real and urgent need for the Bill to be enacted.
‘Sadly, this case also serves as a shocking reminder to patients to ask and keep asking the difficult questions in relation to patient care, particularly if it involved the death or injury of a loved one.’
She added: ‘Rebecca has fought this case with great dignity so that her daughter’s death was not in vain. I’m honoured to have been able to support her, and while we welcome today’s settlement, I know that no amount of money could ever compensate for Hannah’s life, which is gone forever.’