Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust is to be sentenced this Friday, January 27 at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court over the death of Wynter Andrews.
Wynter was born at Queen’s Medical Centre in 2019, but she died 23 minutes later from lack of oxygen to the brain, an inquest in 2020 found.
The Trust has admitted to letting down the Andrews family, as the failures in maternity care led to hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy which could have been prevented.
It is being prosecuted for two charges, one for Sarah’s care and one for Wynter’s.
Sarah Andrews, mother of Wynter, said: “As first-time parents all we ever wanted was to bring our precious baby home.
“We were failed in the most cruel way by a Trust Board that has allowed the maternity services at the Hospital to become fundamentally unsafe.
“We hope that this criminal prosecution against the Trust for its unsafe care will finally be the jolt they need to prioritise patient safety and result in meaningful change.”
A joint investigation by Channel 4 News and The Independent uncovered the Nottingham Maternity Units scandal, where it was revealed that negligent deliveries resulted in babies suffering from brain damage.
Between 2010 and 2020, they found that 46 babies suffered brain damage and 15 deaths happened on the units involving mothers and babies.
As a result, 201 claims were made against the trust during the same time period.
This prosecution is one of only two the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – responsible for inspecting hospitals – has brought against an NHS maternity unit.
HM Assistant Coroner, Ms Bower conducted an inquest into Wynter Andrews’ death on October 7, 2020.
She said: “There were multiple missed opportunities to provide additional monitoring of baby Wynter’s wellbeing, and to have taken action if that monitoring had shown that baby Wynter was in distress.”
This case prompted other similar incidents to be further investigated.
An independent review, led by Donna Ockenden, into Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust maternity services is on-going.
If you are a patient, former patient or staff member who would like to participate, you can email the review team at nottsreview@donnaockenden.com.
Lead Image: Joseph Raynor, Nottingham Post
The joint investigation by Channel 4 News and The Independent into the Nottingham maternity unit scandal revealed:
- Between 2010 to 2020, at least 46 babies have suffered brain damage.
- 19 babies have been stillborn.
- 15 deaths at the units involving mothers and babies.
- Between 2010 and 2020, 201 claims were made against the trust (84 have settled).
- Between 2011 and 2012, there were 6 claims where just under £14.5 million was paid out.
- The trust faced accusations of a “failure or delay to treatment” in 25 incidents.
- On 13 occasions there were accusations of a “failure to recognise complications”.
- 10 inadequate nursing care cases.
