Father says NHS ‘failings’ led to baby’s death

Grieving parents give evidence at inquiry

A grieving father has accused NHS Tayside of systematic failings that led to the death of his newborn child in an Angus maternity unit.

Nevaeh Stewart died soon after she was born at Montrose Royal Infirmary’s community midwifery unit (CMU) in 2012, despite the efforts of specialists who arrived to save her.

A 14-day inquiry into Nevaeh’s death concluded at Forfar Sheriff Court yesterday, where parents Gary and Kimberly Stewart made their submissions on the evidence of 16 experts and eye witnesses to the September 30 tragedy.

The inquiry had previously heard an ambulance took two hours to arrive from Ninewells Hospital after midwives called to alert specialists to Nevaeh’s “pale and floppy” appearance within 10 minutes of her birth.

In his submission, the depute fiscal said the tragedy had prompted NHS Tayside to adopt telemedicine screens so specialists can see newborns at CMUs and, this year, implemented a 999-style response for similar emergencies.

But Mr Stewart, from Auchenblae, said the lack of the latter option meant his daughter “did not have a chance she should have.”

He submitted the standard of care was “contributory to her death” and said the board had failed to maintain a satisfactory level of communication between staff, failed to inform Mrs Stewart of potential delays for specialists to reach Montrose CMU, and failed to implement a 999-style neonatal transport service following on from expert opinion produced in 2011.

Mr Stewart said: “I believe that if NHS Tayside told parents the truth about the transfer time, (we) would have made a different decision on obstetric care and we would have had timely access to specialist medical assistance if it was needed.”

Addressing the inquiry, Mrs Stewart said: “Had I been told in 2008 when I was pregnant with our second child, that I’d have to wait an unlimited amount of time for specialist help if something went wrong with the birth, or after the birth, I think that’s enough information as a mother of one, and for the baby, that I wouldn’t have risked myself.”

Depute fiscal Andrew Hanton said the Crown believed the evidence “did not highlight a systematic failure, rather the challenges of running a health service in the 21st Century.”

He said the “toolbox” available to NHS Tayside in similar circumstances had increased with the addition of telemedicine and 999 response.

Mr Hanton said the evidence of many witnesses pointed to a “tragic outcome that was unique in their careers” although “none were able to identify changes that could have possibly prevented, let alone probably, Nevaeh’s death.”

Sheriff Di Emidio told the inquiry: “This has taken along time and been spread over many days, and I’m very conscious of the need to bring matters to a conclusion at the earliest practicable time.”

He will issue a written judgement in due course.