Medical Law Expert Comments On Call For Change

Any changes made to maternity services need to ensure safety of patients is improved, a medical law expert at Irwin Mitchell has urged.

The issue has been in the limelight after the president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists told the BBC that a rethink is needed in such services if standards of care are going to improve.

It has been suggested that the current system needs to be reorganised to ensure pregnant women receive 24-hour quality care from experts and to reduce instances when out-of-hours care is provided by junior members of staff.

Medical negligence specialists at Irwin Mitchell work with a number of people who have suffered serious injuries as a result of errors in care by the NHS, including families who have lost children or have a child with a birth injury, or women who themselves have been injured as a result of birth trauma.

Suzanne Munroe, a Partner and expert in medical law at the firm’s Sheffield office, said: “We act for many people whose lives have been turned upside down by errors in maternity care and it is an unfortunate truth that many of them have suffered due to wholly avoidable problems in treatment.

“We have repeatedly called for improvements in care that will protect against other women and children suffering in a similar manner, so welcome the latest recommendations for changes to be made that go some way to preventing further tragedies.

“It is vital that any changes made to services are carried out in such a way that ensures the safety and best interests of patients always come first.”