A PREGNANT mum has spoken of her turmoil after she was allegedly told by midwives that she was “fine” before her baby died 20 minutes after being born.
Sarah Andrews recalled her harrowing experience in a bombshell BBC Panorama investigation which lays bare shocking allegations at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH).
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Despite raising concerns to staff, expecting mum Sarah was repeatedly told things were ‘fine’, the documentary revealed Credit: BBC
Midwives were unaware baby Wynter was “stuck” and missed “clear signs” of infectionCredit: BBC
Baby deaths were allegedly “common” at the trust where pregnant women were reportedly given given sick labels such as “F*** Off Home” by midwives.
Staff at hospitals run by the NUH were also allegedly told to stop being “too kind” in order to prevent women coming back to the ward.
The allegations have prompted the largest maternity inquiry in NHS history with a probe investigating with an investigation launched into stillbirths, neonatal deaths and injuries to babies and mums.
Sarah Andrews is one of 2,500 cases of families who were looked after at Nottingham City Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre and said how she’d be “better off dead than in the situation I was left in”.
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Gary and Sarah shared heartbreaking images in the new documentaryCredit: BBC
A horse drawn carriage at the funeral as seen in the Panorama docCredit: BBC
The BBC Panorama investigation exposes shocking allegations at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH) Credit: BBC
Some 2,500 cases of families who were looked after at Nottingham City Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre are now being probed Credit: PA
Now, a heartbroken Sarah has revealed she was having a “textbook pregnancy” until she started experiencing problems a few weeks before her due date.
The expecting mum was repeatedly told that everything was “fine” and told to stay at home when she started having continuous contractions.
After “vomiting in pain” she was eventually admitted to Queen’s Medical Centre but says staff were “very dismissive” towards her.
A day later, she was moved to a labour suite and finally connected to a heart monitor.
But it was only then that medical staff became aware of baby Wynter’s dropping heart rate with midwives’ concerns reportedly ignored by doctors.
Nurses were also unaware Wynter was “stuck” and missed “clear signs” of infection, it is alleged.
Sarah was sent for an emergency C-section and Wynter was delivered alive, but required immediate aid due to the infection.
And just 20 minutes after her birth, Wynter was tragically declared dead.
Sue Brydon, an ex-senior midwife at the trust, described the staff as ‘depleted’ and ‘tired out’ Credit: BBC
The number of women dying in childbirth is up 20 per cent in the last ten years Credit: Getty
The shocking allegations are laid bare in BBC Panorama’s Maternity Failures: The Fight for Justice, which is due to air at 8pm tonight.
Sarah tragically recalled how doctors said there was “nothing they could do”.
Sarah said: “We felt like everybody was doing their best for us… Now looking back on it, we realise how wrong it all was.
“I felt like I’d be better off dead than in the situation I was left in.”
Her husband Gary added: “I felt moments away from meeting my daughter”.
Sarah and Gary shared heartbreaking photos with Panorama of baby Wynter after she was born.
Following Wynter’s death, the couple were moved to a bereavement suite.
Gary said: “We spent time just reading to her and talking about the future that would have been.
“In that moment that’s all I wanted in the world.”
Sue Brydon, a former senior midwife at the trust, claimed midwives were even pulled out of training to cover shortages.
Writing a letter to trust bosses, she said: “There has been a serious and ongoing failure of workforce planning.
“The single most important factor threatening the wellbeing of families and midwives and the cause of a potential disaster is inadequate staffing.”
It was also alleged nurses were “busy shopping for handbags” while desperate patients called out for help.
One midwife told Panorama: “(A patient) was ignored when she buzzed.
“The co-ordinator and her cronies were busy shopping for handbags online.”
Other personnel described the hospitals as a “frightening place to work”, with little empathy and often a lack of experience among staff.
NHS England told Panorama: “A number of new initiatives have been introduced to make care safer, including new clinical standards for every maternity service in England to prevent maternal deaths and harm.”
