Derby and Burton Maternity Services Claims

Royal Derby Hospital and Queen’s Hospital in Burton together with their maternity care units are operated by University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust. Unfortunately concerns over the maternity care within this Trust have been on the rise in recent times.

In February 2023 an independent thematic report into University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (“the Trust”) carried out by Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (“HSIB”) was published. This report concentrated on a number of maternal death and maternal collapse events that occurred between January 2021 and May 2022. The report, which can be found here, made a large number of findings leading to safety recommendations and safety prompts being given by the HSIB.

Freeths’ maternity negligence team are currently acting for some patients who form part of the report. The Trust have also engaged with the NHS England Maternity Support Team to review their maternity provision. Recommendations have been provided to the Trust to enable improvement to the maternity services.

Over recent years our maternity negligence team have been approached by a large number of concerned patients, parents and families about their maternity experiences at the Trust.

Maternity negligence claims

The number of maternity negligence claims and the level of damages paid out by the Trust over the last decade, may indicate a broader cultural or systemic issue. Mistakes have been made, but the many enquiries received by us where concerns have been voiced suggest that perhaps not enough has been done to learn from errors made and prevent future mothers and babies being put at risk.

Stillborn and neonatal death claims

The death of a baby is a devastating time for a parent and their family but this news can be even more distressing if something has gone wrong with the management of the birth. In these situations, the outcome can be devastating and life changing for those involved.

In a significant number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths nothing can be done to prevent this from happening. There are cases however, where better management during pregnancy or monitoring of the baby could have prevented the tragedy. Every parent has a right to know what happened to their baby and the experienced maternity negligence team at Freeths can assist parents with obtaining answers to their questions.

Call us on 0330 100 1014 and speak to our compassionate and understanding team or fill out our online form >

Our recent maternity negligence cases

• We acted on the behalf of the Claimant who received negligent care from a consultant during the pregnancy. A settlement reached was in seven figures. At a scan polyhydramnios and reduced growth was noted. The mother of the Claimant was not advised of this. If she had been appropriately advised she would have had a number of treatment options which would have included earlier delivery. If earlier delivery had taken place, the Claimant’s brain injury would have been avoided.
• We acted on behalf of a Claimant who suffered with whole body dyskinetic/spastic cerebral palsy (GMFCS Level V). A settlement was reached in the sum of £8 million. We argued that in the Claimant’s case the Defendant Trust failed to appropriately monitor the Claimant by way of CTG and as a result, diagnosis of fetal bradycardia was delayed. Thereafter there were further delays in contacting the obstetrician, transferring the mother to the operating theatre and performing an instrumental delivery. The failures on behalf of the Defendant Trust led to the Claimant suffering his severe cerebral palsy. Further to the Defendant’s denial of liability the case went to trial. In judgment it was found that had the Claimant been born 10 minutes earlier they would have sustained mild damage and not the severe damage in fact sustained.

What our clients say

“Thanks and appreciation to you once again for many years of work and support for us all”

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Get in touch with our expert maternity negligence solicitors

We offer free initial advice, to establish whether you may have a claim relating to Royal Derby Hospital or Queen’s Hospital in Burton maternity services.