The number of babies and children dying needlessly following NHS blunders at birth is on the rise, the Mail has discovered.
Between 2014 and 2022, cases of medical negligence relating to stillbirths, newborn fatalities and children who later died after being brain damaged during delivery rose by around 16 per cent.
The news follows a series of scandals relating to failings in maternity care at NHS hospitals in Shrewsbury, Nottingham and East Kent.
The healthcare regulator warned this year that the problems were widespread across the country.
Baby death or injury cases are poorly managed and lessons are not learned, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.
According to new research, 234 children died in circumstances that led to a medical negligence claim in the 12 months to April 2022, the most recent year available, compared with 201 babies and children a decade earlier in 2014.
However, experts say the true increase could be even higher as families of babies who died more recently have three years to come forward and start legal action.
Lawyer Jodie Miller, a partner specialising in medical negligence at JMW Solicitors, who obtained the data through a Freedom of Information request, said the increase was a tragic reflection of the sub-standard maternity care many mothers were receiving.
The number of babies and children dying needlessly following NHS blunders at birth is on the rise, the Mail has discovered. Pictured: Olly Vickers and his parents. Olly died of a brain injury two years ago after two midwives at Royal Bolton Hospital let his mother feed him while she was having gas and air – in breach of guidelines
A coroner ruled his death was a result of ‘neglect’ and a ‘gross failure to provide basic medical care’
She added: ‘I have worked on behalf of countless families who have lost a child due to NHS negligence. While each family’s story is unique, the common themes remain the same.
‘The most critical issue is the failure to follow safety guidelines. These figures suggest that’s happening more, which is extremely concerning. Urgent action must be taken to get back to basics and ensure safe care is the norm.’
Ms Miller recently settled a case for the parents of Olly Vickers, who was brain damaged after being starved of oxygen following his birth at the Royal Bolton Hospital in September 2021. He died aged five months.
An investigation found that Olly, who weighed 8lb 6oz, was born in a good condition, but midwives failed to properly monitor his mother, Emma Vickers, 32, as she breastfed him afterwards. They allowed her to feed Olly as she received gas and air to relieve her pain while she was being sutured following his delivery, contrary to guidelines.
His airway became obstructed, but when Mrs Vickers became concerned about his breathing and asked staff if he was OK, no midwife came to look at him. One said simply that he would move himself if he was uncomfortable.
She was told Olly was asleep and this was ‘normal’. However, he had suffered a brain injury and was found ‘pale and floppy’.
He was resuscitated and spent weeks in hospital, but died of an infection on February 6. A coroner ruled his death was a result of ‘neglect’ and a ‘gross failure to provide basic medical care’.
Last year, the hospital agreed to pay Mrs Vickers and her husband, Mick, 55, a construction worker, a five-figure sum in compensation and apologised for ‘letting them down’.
But Mrs Vickers, a legal cashier, said no amount would be enough, adding: ‘Olly was our world and losing him is something we will never fully recover from.
Cases of medical negligence relating to stillbirths, newborn fatalities and children who later died after being brain damaged during delivery rose by around 16 per cent. This comes after a series of scandals relating to failings in maternity care at NHS hospitals in Shrewsbury, Nottingham and East Kent
‘He was so strong, brave and loving throughout his short life. It brings us some comfort to know awareness of what happened to him could help prevent the same thing happening to another baby.
‘However, the fact that so many babies have died amid concerns about their care, and that this number is increasing, shows how much work there is to do to ensure maternity services are consistently safe. We’ve always questioned whether if we’d gone to a different hospital on a different day, Olly would still be here. However, these figures show that the issues are widespread.’
Ms Miller said: ‘As well as a child losing their life, the trauma stays with these families for ever.’
Separate figures obtained by JMW from Bolton NHS Foundation Trust show that 19 babies born at the Royal Bolton Hospital in the same financial year as Olly were brain damaged. Over a ten-year period the total was 144, with 39 of them going on to die.
According to the CQC, 48 per cent of maternity units provide inadequate care or services that require improvement.
Between August 2022 and December 2023, inspectors visited 131 units in England and found problems including a lack of staff, equipment issues, poor pain management, inconsistencies in the recording of safety incidents and bad leadership.
On the single issue of safety, 65 per cent of units were ‘failing’.
Kate Brintworth, chief midwifery officer for NHS England, admitted: ‘Despite the hard work of NHS staff, for large numbers of women and families NHS maternity care simply isn’t at the level they should expect.’