An investigation into Hackney’s Homerton hospital where four women died before or during childbirth in the space of 12 months has discovered a number of concerns at the hospital.
Inspectors from the NHS London clinical senate established that staff at the hospital were slow to recognise patients who were deteriorating, with many breakdowns in communication.
The findings come after two unannounced inspections by the Care Quality Commission, when the Evening Standard reported that a fifth woman had died at the hospital in January of this year.
Tim Melville-Ross, chairman of Homerton NHS Trust said in response to the report, which was made public last week (23rd March): “This issue is clearly one of real concern to us. We have to devote all of our efforts to learning lessons.”
Staff have been given additional training following the findings of the report as well as an increased 98 hours consultant cover on wards each week.
The first of the five fatalities occurred in 2013, when a woman passed away following a Caesarean section procedure which she had chosen to have. A subsequent report discovered that she shouldn’t have been allowed to have the procedure at all – she was obese, over 40 years of age, had a large fibroid in her uterus and had miscarried before.
40-year-old Adeline Keh was the second fatality at the hospital in the October of the same year. She contracted a fatal infection after giving birth by Caesarean section. Although she was transferred to a specialist heart and lung unit in Cambridge, she died after refusing a blood transfusion due to her being a Jehova’s Witness.
A report into Ms Keh’s death found that her refusal to have the blood transfusion ‘may have compromised the final medical intervention’ in order to save her life. In this instance it was listed as the cause of death together with sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome and an infection of the Caesarean wound.
The two fatalities that followed occurred in March and June last year. It was at this point that the CQC began investigating, with the London clinical senate called in after the fifth death earlier this year.
Maternal deaths are extremely rare, hence why it was viewed highly unusual for one hospital to have so many in such a short period. If you or your loved one has suffered as the result of medical negligence and you’d like to discuss your legal options, please call our highly experienced team of solicitors on 0800 999 1875 or contact us online here.