A HEALTH chief quizzed another over lack of staff and procedures after a baby death and other near misses that led to maternity cuts in Solihull Hospital, The Silhillian can reveal.Ian Mather, consultant in public health at Solihull NHS Care Trust wrote to hospital boss Ian Cunliffe with concerns following two September 2008 incidents that ended with one newborn dead.
This led to concerns within the trust – which decides where NHS cash is spent – that led to plans to close the maternity unit. Bosses said lack of staff posed too much a danger.
In the first incident a woman expecting a normal birth had to undergo a caesarean at Solihull Hospital after the baby’s heart rate increased.
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A paediatric doctor was called from Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, arriving 41 minutes later and the baby suffered no long lasting damage.
In the letter, released under the Freedom of Information Act, Mr Mather said: “Was advanced resuscitation carried out?
“We have been informed by the Newborn Network that the baby was bagged and masked for 45 minutes because of lack of paediatric or neonatal staff.”
Mr Cunliffe, medical director for surgery at Heart of England NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust, said in his November 2008 reply: “Baby X received advanced resuscitation and the resuscitation records are good.”
The lack of rescucitation support is a key argument for downgrading Solihull’s service.
Mr Mather asked by a caesearan was carried out ‘late at night at Solihull Hospital’ – but Mr Cunliffe said this was common.
And Mr Mather asked why the trust did not complete a ‘serious untoward incident’ report ‘as this would appear to fit the criteria for such a process (i.e. a case of serious permanent harm)’.
The hospital said it was granded as an ‘orange incident’.
The Heartlands team returned from Solihull shortly after a twin was born at the Bordesley Green Hospital.
But ‘care management issues’ meant delivery of the second was delayed and the child died.
Mr Mather asked whether the events were ‘linked’. He said: “We understand that a neonatologist had to be called away from the premature twins in order to care for the child delivered by C-section at Solihull Hospital.”
But Mr Cunliffe said: “The actions were not linked.” He said the Solihull child arrived at Heartlands in the ‘early hours’ of September 30. But a later report said it arrived at 7.10am.
Yet he apologised for not letting the care trust know about the twin’s death sooner and said this was due to staff sickness.
Bosses last year said they would consult on proposals to remove doctor-led births births from Solihull but closed the unit in April, citing safety concerns.
It will re-open on July 19 for midwife-led births only and its long-term future will then be consulted on.
Caroline Spelman, MP for Meriden, said in a press release yesterday: “This is wonderful news for us in Solihull and the fulfilment of a promise made by Andrew Lansley, the new health secretary, before the election.
“I feel sorry for the mums and the midwives who have been put through so much anxiety. But it is a victory for common sense.”
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