but slimy politicians love it...its' all "for the chil'ren"
Posted on 01/04/2009 7:58:53 PM PST by ellery
A baby boy died minutes after birth – because the hospital had no anaesthetist on duty for an emergency caesarian.
Clare Russell, who went into labour with son Dylan 10 weeks early, arrived at the maternity unit in the middle of the night.
She desperately needed a C-section to save her son, who was coming out feet first in the breech position.
But the hospital had a cost-cutting policy of not having an anaesthetist during the night. Clare had to give birth naturally, and Dylan died when the umbilical cord got wrapped around him, starving him of blood and oxygen.
Research has shown a C-section in those circumstances would almost certainly have saved Dylan.
A few weeks after the tragedy, Clare – who is speaking out in the hope of preventing other mums-to-be facing the same heartbreak – met Royal Shrewsbury Hospital bosses.
Dr Adam Gornhill, the consultant who delivered Dylan, confirmed that Dylan could have lived if she had gone into labour 12 hours earlier – when an anaesthetist would have been on duty.
He told her: “There was nobody to do the C-section because there was no anaesthetist. If it had been 12.25 in the daytime there would have been a team on. We have to work within our limitations. It’s a resource policy decision.”
The revelations provide a snapshot of the crisis on maternity wards across the NHS and will heap more pressure on the Government to improve standards.
Dylan’s tragically short life ended six years ago. Last month the hospital finally agreed compensation, an undisclosed five-figure sum.
Clare, 38, of Madeley, Telford, said: “How can it be right that because I gave birth at night my son had less chance of survival?
“I don’t blame the doctors because they did all they could. But who is making these decisions and saying things should be this way in the NHS? If you need a C-section you should be able to have one – night or day.
“No amount of compensation could make up for the death of my baby. But something can be done to make sure other babies don’t die needlessly like Dylan did.”
Three days before Clare gave birth, her waters broke and she was taken to hospital by husband Tim, 32. As she was only at the 30-week stage, doctors kept her in for two days to monitor her and the baby – but then sent her home, despite her complaining of agonising back pain. Hours later, at 11.40pm, Clare went back to hospital in agony but a midwife left her alone and went to search for a doctor to examine her.
Clare, who has a son, Cade, 14, said: “They were so understaffed. The midwife gave us a heart monitor and told us to see if we could get a reading. I had no gas and air and my back was killing me.”
After almost an hour, a senior doctor arrived but waited 20 minutes before phoning the on-call consultant Dr Gornhill at home.
He ordered a clip to be placed on Dylan to check his heart rate. It showed the baby was distressed and by the time Dr Gornhill got to hospital at 1.10am Clare had almost given birth. Dylan died minutes after being born on November 29, 2003.
The hospital has admitted medical records of Dylan’s condition had been lost and notes from the day Clare’s waters broke were wrong.
Dr Gornhill also admitted Clare should not have been sent home and the hospital admitted taking too long to alert the consultant about Clare’s condition.
During her six-year battle for justice Clare quit her job as a lab assistant to start working as a healthcare assistant at hospitals across Telford. She is determined to help improve NHS standards.
She said: “The doctors did their best to save Dylan but the reality is mistakes were made beforehand which could have prevented his death.
“Doctors and midwives are crippled by a lack of resources. If it doesn’t end, more children like my son will die.”
Last night health experts said it is regarded as good practice for maternity units to have an anaesthetist available 24 hours a day to perform caesarean sections. But Belinda Phipps, of the National Childbirth Trust, said many don’t have them round the clock because hospitals are so over-stretched.
She said: “It is a travesty but the untold story of maternity care in this country is that it is more dangerous for women to give birth at night.”
Trish Rowson, of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said they now have anaesthetic cover 24 hours a day at the hospital.
She added: “The Trust extends its deepest sympathies to Mr and Mrs Russell.”
Welcome to Hillarycare
“It’s a resource policy decision”
That’s the slogan of nationalized healthcare.
I’m looking for a ballpark estimate as to what the damage award would be (in dollars) under the American system. Speaking of which, when Obama nationalizes health care and services are cut in response, who picks up the tab when this happens here. Never mind, answered my own question.
Five-figures, huh. What a bunch of f***ing princes....
She keeps saying that they did all they could.
Are they so brainwashed? Really?
Nationalised Healthcare strikes again.
You won’t be ABLE to sue the hospital for negligence like this when Obamacare is implemented.
People don't need anesthesia at night. They're sleeping, right?
.....
Sorry, bad joke.
This is what scares me about Obama. I really do think he will ram through national health “care.” We have excellent health care in this country, and yes you have to work to afford it, but drop the cell phone and get insurance. All the uninsured people I know are uninsured by choice. Let all insurance compainies be available in all states and leave us the hell alone.
...if you have a complaint, fill out these forms and take it to the complaint department please. I’m on break.
Coming soon to a nation near you. :)
You can feel good that you will always have health insurance. Just make sure you only become ill during business hours.
In other countries, this situation is tolerated by the public although the victims are not happy. In this country, trial lawyers would be circling like vultures. Will the rats restrain their trial lawyer supporters? If not, health care will implode. Malpractice awards will shatter any health care budgets that the rats try to impose. If I were a trial lawyer, I would support Republicans. Republicans may place some restraints on malpractice. Single payer health care will stifle malpractice because governments have broad protection against lawsuits.
Hillary, Pelosi, Osama Obama, and Reid-care. They’re all Socialist that care nothing about the American people. Their God, is power, greed, and ego.
Let us start from the beginning. A 30 week pregnancy with water broken is kept then sent home. WRONG. Next she was breech when her water broke. Plenty of time for a planned C-section. This would be a very bad case of malpractice in the USA. Plus if one had two a C-section can and will be done under LOCAL and IV sedation. No need to do NOTHING. This is what socialized medicine will bring to this country. JUST WAIT>>>>>>>
Let us start from the beginning. A 30 week pregnancy with water broken is kept then sent home. WRONG. Next she was breech when her water broke. Plenty of time for a planned C-section. This would be a very bad case of malpractice in the USA. Plus if one had two a C-section can and will be done under LOCAL and IV sedation. No need to do NOTHING. This is what socialized medicine will bring to this country. JUST WAIT>>>>>>>
If you think it would be millions, you would be mistaken. The hospital will settle to avoid court costs and publicity but the settlement would not be based on the loss of the baby’s life as society has “decided” a baby has no social value.
If she had an abortion months ago this would not have happened.(/Lib speak off)
very sad. That is how my oldest sister died almost 60 years ago...
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