A bereaved mother has told BBC Breakfast that her concerns about her baby were dismissed before his death at 14 days old. Robyn Davis, whose son Orlando died in 2021, said she felt 'like I was going insane' after repeatedly raising worries with maternity staff.
Speaking on the programme on Thursday, Davis said her concerns were 'met with a quick shut down'. An inquest found that Orlando's death had been contributed to by neglect, after staff failed to recognise that his mother had become ill during labour.
The broadcast came as part of a segment on failures in maternity services, highlighting an interim report by Baroness Amos. The review identified six factors impacting care, including racism, staffing and culture. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has promised to act on the final recommendations due in April.
Orlando's father Jonathan Davis said multiple healthcare professionals were involved in the care, adding: 'This was not a one event caused an outcome.' The report noted that Baroness Amos found problems at every stage of the maternity journey, caused by cultural leadership issues, workforce shortages, and lack of accountability.
While Streeting has pledged to implement the review's recommendations, a maternity safety task force he promised to establish has not yet been created. He said it will be set up shortly.
