Statement Confirms 43 Cases Are Under Investigation

Specialist lawyers have urged Cwm Taf Health Board to ‘work quickly and thoroughly’ to provide reassurances regarding its maternity services, following the announcement that 43 cases related to mothers and babies are now under investigation.

In a statement, the South Wales-based health board revealed the cases occurred between 1 January, 2016, and the end of September 2018, with all of them involving “an adverse outcome that required a full investigation”.

It added that it has reviewed the cases – which the BBC understands includes the deaths of babies – in further detail to assess whether appropriate actions were taken at the time.

The Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfill and Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant are among the hospitals which operate in the area covered by Cwm Taf Health Board.

Irwin Mitchell’s specialist Medical Law and Patients’ Rights team has vast experience in providing support to families affected by care failings, including helping those who have suffered as a result of problems in maternity care.

Expert Opinion

“We are hugely concerned by the news regarding the Cwm Taf Health Board and it is vital that the organisation continues to work quickly and thoroughly to provide reassurances regarding its maternity care.

“A statement of this nature raises major questions and many people in the local community will be keen for more clarity regarding the issues identified and what is being done to address them.

“Sadly, through our work we have seen the devastating impact that failings in maternity services can have, with such problems often having tragic consequences.

“It is an incredibly sensitive area and it is vital that every effort is made to ensure that lessons are learned from the past so that families have access to quality care going forward.” Sara Burns - Partner

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in handling birth injury cases.