A first-time mother whose unborn baby died after hospital care failings was sent home with a bereavement booklet and told to book a slot to give birth, a legal settlement has revealed. Danielle Brown was 29 weeks pregnant when her daughter, Maisie, died in February 2023 following a series of missed opportunities by staff at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle. The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has since admitted a breach of duty, acknowledging that Maisie would have survived had Ms Brown not been improperly discharged. The trust has paid an undisclosed settlement to the family.
Admission and Discharge
Ms Brown, a barista from North Shields, and her partner Anthony Miller had been overjoyed after preparing for their daughter's arrival. However, seven months into her pregnancy, the 31-year-old developed severe swelling and was admitted to the RVI, where she was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia - a serious pregnancy complication - and monitoring raised concerns about Maisie's heart rate. Although a consultant obstetrician initially advised that Ms Brown should remain in hospital until giving birth, a different consultant reviewed her case 24 hours later on February 14 and discharged her.
Deterioration and Loss
When her condition deteriorated the following day, Ms Brown called the hospital's maternity assessment unit but was initially dismissed and told she likely had a stomach bug. After insisting on being seen, she returned to the hospital and waited 90 minutes for an assessment, where scans confirmed Maisie had died.
"When it was confirmed Maisie had died, we burst into tears," Ms Brown said. "Nobody explained what had happened to Maisie. I was just given a booklet for bereaved parents and told to book a slot to give birth. Hearing that with no compassion angered me so much." Ms Brown returned to the hospital on February 17, giving birth to Maisie after a 10-hour labour.
"After saying goodbye to Maisie, we had to walk through a labour ward seeing parents going home with their babies," she added. "That will stay with me forever."
Legal Response and Apology
Faisal Ali, a legal representative at Irwin Mitchell who handled the case, warned that the tragedy reflects systemic issues across the NHS. "What happened to Danielle and Maisie vividly highlights the human cost of care failings," Ali said. "Sadly, this isn’t an isolated case and we represent hundreds of families nationally affected by maternity failings. Put simply, maternity services aren’t good enough."
Ian Joy, executive director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals at the trust, issued a public apology to the family. "We fully accept that aspects of the care we provided fell short of the standards the family had every right to expect and offer a heartfelt apology for this," he said. Mr Joy added that following an internal review in 2023, the trust implemented faster escalation procedures and improved urgent assessment protocols for expectant mothers experiencing unexpected symptoms.
Ms Brown and Mr Miller have since welcomed a son, Harrison, now two years old, but say Maisie will always remain an irreplaceable part of their family.
