A hospital has recruited more midwives after a six-month-old baby died after their mum was given incorrect advice by a member of staff. The hospital has acted to make sure there is always a registered midwife available 24/7.
The mum had telephoned the maternity assessment unit at the Royal Stoke University Hospital and wanted medical advice about her child. But the call, made last June, was taken by a maternity ward clerk rather than a registered midwife and the incorrect information was given, Stoke-on-TrentLive reports.
The hospital is run by the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust and this has since since recruited the equivalent of 3.64 whole-time midwives to ensure that there is always one available to provide telephone triage. The incident has been reported to this month’s trust board meeting. Director of midwifery Sarah Jamieson has described the neonatal death as a 'very sad case'.
She added: "The lady made a telephone call to maternity, and the phone call was taken by a ward clerk and not a registered midwife, and unfortunately some incorrect advice was given to the mother. This case underwent a perinatal mortality review, as all neonatal deaths do, and there were some immediate actions that we pulled out from that. Clearly we've adhered to our duty of candour with this case, and that was completed.
"Maternity services have now recruited 3.64 whole-time equivalent midwives, and that's to assist and to provide a 24/7 telephone triage service, so that midwives are taking those calls and giving advice as required. The maternity assessment unit is an incredibly busy unit, we see 60, 70, 80 women. It is our emergency department for maternity services. So it's incredibly important that we cover that service with a registered midwife at the end of the telephone line."
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