Expert Medical Negligence Lawyers Supporting Families Affected By Care Failings In City Say Report Highlights Scale Of Problems

A major review of Leeds’ troubled maternity services has issued more than 100 recommendations for improvement.

NHS England’s Maternity Safety Support Programme (MSSP) has published its findings following an inspection of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. 

Report outlines 101 maternity care recommendations for LGI and St James's

It has outlined 101 recommendations to address safety, staffing, leadership and cultural issues across the Trust’s maternity units at Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital. 

The report highlights that the Trust has struggled to respond to families who have suffered experienced “harm and poor outcomes”. This has led to several parents calling for an independent inquiry. 

The review team found that “learning from incidents was not robust and therefore there was a continuation on previous identified themes.”

Medical negligence lawyers helping families affected by Leeds maternity care failings

Medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell are supporting a number of families affected by maternity care failings in Leeds. These include parents whose babies have either died or being left with life-long disabilities or mums who have been seriously injured while giving birth. 

While Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said many of the MSSP’s recommendations had been addressed, the legal experts said more still needed to be done to restore confidence in the city’s maternity services. 

Rachelle Mahapatra is an expert medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office.

Expert Opinion

“This latest report yet again lays bare the scale of the problems within Leeds’ maternity services.

“That more than 100 recommendations have been made will yet again cause concerns and upset among families, including those we continue to represent.

“One of the most damning areas of concern is issues that have blighted maternity services have been allowed to continue because of a lack of learning.

“It's imperative that when something goes wrong in the NHS, families are listened to, problems are analysed and reviewed – and any recommendations implemented to prevent the same mistakes happening time and time again.

“While we welcome the Trust’s pledge to improve maternity safety, this must now be matched by action. Management needs to ensure staff are supported at all times so they can uphold the highest level of care.

“Behind every family we represent is a human tragedy of families suffering trauma, loss or harm, and them being left requiring access to specialist support, therapies or rehabilitation.

“We continue to support families who deserve to have their voices heard, answers, accountability and meaningful change.” Rachelle Mahapatra

What else did the Maternity Safety Support Programme review find?

The team from the MSSP – a national support programme which provides recommendations and guidance to Hospital Trusts - visited Leeds between 17 and 20 March.

Other issues the MSSP identified included:

• Issues in fetal monitoring including delays in delivery, and poor escalation of clinical concerns.

• A lack of cardiotocography (CTG) heart rate monitoring machines to enable women to be effectively and safely monitored.

• A challenging and negative culture had led to escalation fatigue among staff who did not feel their safety concerns were “listened or responded” too.  

• The report found that the Trust’s Perinatal Mortality Review Tool – used to review baby deaths - lacked external input and had minimal family involvement. It was unclear how changes were communicated and monitored to ensure improvements were made.

• Under-resourced  bereavement care, with fewer than two bereavement midwives covering both sites - below national recommendations. The service lacked a formal seven-day model and relied on goodwill. 

• Concerns around bereavement suites, including access to them and what support leaflets were left in the suites.

• A handbook for bereaved parents, written by a member of the Trust’s senior leadership team and not a specialist bereavement midwife, should be re-written. The new version should be co-produced with parents who have experienced baby loss.

Leeds' maternity services need immediate improvement 

The report publication comes after health watchdog, The Care Quality Commission told Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to “make immediate improvements” its maternity services. 

In June the CQC published findings of unannounced visits to maternity and neonatal services at Leeds General Infirmary and St James’ Hospital.

Maternity services at both hospitals had declined from good to inadequate overall, inspectors found. Safety at St James’ was also classed as inadequate – the lowest rating. 

Neonatal services at both hospitals were rated as requires improvement, overall.

The CQC report came after an investigation found that the deaths of at least 56 babies and two mums in Leeds may have been preventable.

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in supporting families affected by maternity care issues at our dedicated birth injuries section. Alternatively, to speak to an expert contact us or call 0370 1500 100.