Baby Loss Awareness Week 9-15 October 2022

This week is Baby Loss Awareness Week which aims to support bereaved parents and families, raise awareness of pregnancy and baby loss and to drive improvements in care and support and in the prevention of pregnancy and baby loss. It culminates with the ‘Wave of Light’ on 15 October 2022.

Our Clinical Negligence team is passionate about supporting bereaved parents and families who have suffered pregnancy or baby loss as a result of medical negligence.

Rachel Kirby, Senior Associate, recently concluded a case for a mother whose concerns of reduced foetal movement were not considered “high priority” by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, leading to a cancelled induction and an avoidable still-birth at 40 weeks.

Amy-Beth Probert, Associate, also recently concluded a medical negligence claim on behalf of a mother after Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust failed to screen her for Gestational Diabetes in accordance with their policy, despite the fact she fell into the high-risk category. This also sadly resulted in an avoidable still-birth at 35 weeks.

Devastatingly, it seems that lessons still need to be learnt as NHS maternity services remain overstretched and understaffed. In September 2022, Donna Ockenden’s independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust commenced and seems likely to reveal more tragic failures.

We will be uniting with bereaved families by joining the #WaveOfLight at 7pm on 15 October and lighting a candle in memory of every baby who has died too soon.

If you have concerns about maternity treatment which you or a loved one has received, please call us for a free consultation on 02920 391773 or contact Linda Williams.

We will sensitively guide you through the process.