The family of a six-year-old girl left severely brain-damaged at birth has agreed to a £28 million settlement from the NHS after the trust admitted failures. The girl suffered hypoxia-ischaemia – loss of oxygen to her brain – during her birth at Queen’s Hospital in Romford in July 2019, leaving her with epilepsy, unpredictable seizures, and lifelong care needs.
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 prevented the injury. 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 an overhaul of maternity care. “Seven years on, I’m still deeply affected by seeing the hospital’s name in the press regarding tragedies for other families,” she said. “Surely someone must take the bull by the horns and take action.”
Health Secretary James Murray said transforming maternity care was a priority, describing listening to parents of babies who died as “horrific”. Two reviews are due this month: Donna Ockenden’s inquiry into Nottingham maternity services and a government-commissioned review by Baroness Valerie Amos.
Blunders in maternity care account for 11% of medical negligence claims but 53% of their value, said Guy Forster of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers. The £28m payout is not the largest; a £37m settlement was agreed in 2020 for a boy starved of oxygen at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS trust.
Nic Kane, chief nurse at the trust, apologised and said lessons had been learned, with the maternity department now rated “good” by the Care Quality Commission. Jane Weakley, the family’s lawyer at Fieldfisher, said: “Too many times the same terrible mistakes are repeated, bringing untold tragedy.”
