A select committee has called for an immediate investment of £350 million to prevent avoidable birth injuries. If you need expert guidance from solicitors specialising in birth injuries then contact our free helpline for a free case assessment on 0333 888 0436 or email us at [email protected]
Jeremy Hunt, who headed the select committee, acknowledged that improvements in maternity safety are not happening fast enough and believes that the lives of a thousand babies could be saved every year with improvements in the standards of maternity care.
The report found that just 8% of maternity units nationally are meeting the highest standards of care and training. Worryingly, 41% of maternity units have been identified as needing to improve their safety standards.
Despite a recent recruitment drive, it is estimated that we still need another two thousand midwives and five hundred more doctors specialising in maternity care. Part of the £350 million investment has therefore been earmarked to fill these gaps in staffing.
The report expresses concern that the healthcare profession can sometimes be too focused on performance statistics rather than concentrating on the best and safest medical care for parents and children. Jeremy Hunt has therefore said that we must stop using performance statistics in maternity care and refocus on the safety of patients.
Another factor highlighted is the impact of a defensive culture within the NHS and self-protective attitudes among staff. One consequence of this is that the payment of compensation to victims is often delayed. This prevents funds being made available for beneficial intervention and assistance being given to injured children at the key stages of their development. It frequently takes years for the truth to come out and compensation to be paid, by which time opportunities to improve the child’s life chances have been irretrievably lost.
The NHS needs to continue to move away from the harmful blame culture and put greater emphasis on healthcare practitioners learning from their mistakes. By sharing this information avoidable birth injures can hopefully be reduced going forward.
If you are looking for solicitors who are experienced in dealing with birth injuries and who can work on a no win, no fee basis then contact us for a free case assessment. Simply call 0333 888 0436 or send an email to us at [email protected]