The family of a six-year-old girl left severely brain-damaged at birth have agreed to accept £28 million in damages from an NHS trust that admitted its mistakes caused the tragedy. The girl suffered hypoxia-ischaemia – loss of oxygen to her brain – while being born at Queen’s Hospital in Romford in July 2019, leaving her with lifelong disabilities including epilepsy, unpredictable seizures, and cognitive and language impairments.
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust failed to monitor the baby’s heart rate during labour or consult an obstetrician, either of which could have led to a healthy birth. The settlement, reached out of court, reflects the high cost of her care and an expected lifespan of 83 years.
The girl’s mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, called for urgent reform of maternity care. “Seven years on, I’m still deeply affected by seeing the hospital’s name crop up in the press regarding tragedies for other families… Surely someone must take the bull by the horns and take action,” she said.
Health Secretary James Murray said transforming maternity care was a priority and that services would undergo “comprehensive reform”. The case is one of many; blunders in maternity care account for 11% of negligence claims but 53% of their value, often involving catastrophic injuries.
Nic Kane, chief nurse at the trust, apologised and said lessons had been learned, with maternity services now rated good by the Care Quality Commission. However, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers noted that avoidable harm persists despite repeated reviews.
