NEEDLESS deaths at two maternity units at opposite ends of the country have prompted calls for a public inquiry.
Whistle-blowing campaigner Rab Wilson has called for a full inquiry into deaths and adverse events on maternity wards, after investigations revealed problems at Caithness General Hospital in the Highlands and Crosshouse Hospital in Ayrshire.
The call comes amid claims health secretary Shona Robison was warned 12 times about problems within NHS Ayrshire and Arran, but did not act until it was revealed that there had been six ‘avoidable’ deaths of babies at Crosshouse Hospital.
These included the death of Lucas Morton, who died at birth following a series of failures, on a ward affected by staff shortages, in November 2015.
Meanwhile NHS Highland has apologised for ‘past failings’ following an investigation into the deaths of five babies at Caithness General Hospital, which found “sub-optimal” care had contributed to one of the deaths and at least two of the deaths between 2010 and 2015 were “potentially avoidable”.
Former psychiatric nurse, Mr Wilson said: “We need a public inquiry into these deaths, and it can’t just be the health boards bringing in a poodle to say lessons will be learned.”
He said that since Shona Robison became health secretary, concerns about the maternity unit at Crosshouse had been raised numerous times, including in an inspection report, a review of ‘critical incidents’ - including nine in the maternity unit and by the independent group MBRRACE-UK, which monitors ante-natal and post-natal care in the NHS.
Mr Wilson’s own campaign group Patients First, met with Ms Robson, he said, and he had written an email in April “begging” her to take action over avoidable deaths, which also mentioned maternity care. “We’ve been ringing the alarm bell constantly and now the chickens have come home to roost,” Mr Wilson said.
“If Shona Robison had investigated our concerns when we first raised them, then Lucas Morton might still be alive today.”
Last night Scottish Labour’s health spokesman Anas Sarwar also said the government should act after figures revealed 25,000 adverse incidents in maternity wards across Scotland since 2011. He added: “Labour wants to see the Scottish Government launch a national review of staffing across all maternity units.”
NHS Highland’s medical director Dr Roderick Harvey apologised, after leading the review into problems at the Caithness maternity unit, which faces being downgraded. He said: “The fact infants died possibly as a result of sub-optimal care is unacceptable and I apologise unreservedly for these past failings. Having identified real safety concerns in my view we must move swiftly to address these concerns and that is the basis of my recommendations.”
Dr Alison Graham, executive medical director at NHS Ayshire and Arran said “NHS Ayrshire & Arran is committed to ensuring that, if there is any possibility that there has been avoidable harm, this is investigated thoroughly and that we are open, honest and transparent about this.”
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, Shona Robison, said the government’s own review of maternity and neonatal Services across Scotland, would report shortly.
She added: “Healthcare Improvement Scotland is conducting a review into the cases in Ayrshire and Arran to inform me whether the correct procedures and processes were properly followed. If there are lessons to be learned or improvements which need to be made, we will not hesitate to act. We are aware of the report into the safety of Caithness maternity and neonatal services commissioned by NHS Highland. The Chief Medical Officer supports the findings of the report on clinical grounds.
“It is critical that NHS Highland responds to concerns raised by local people when making a decision on the future of services.”
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