'Baby loss isn't rare - it's happening everywhere'

The parents of a baby who died as a result of hospital negligence have said a national inquiry into maternity services will "unravel a huge wider picture" of injury and loss.

Former midwife Robyn Davis and her husband Jonathan, from Steyning, West Sussex, lost their son Orlando 14 days after he was born by emergency caesarean at Worthing Hospital in September 2021.

After Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced an investigation into maternity failings in England, the couple said: "Unfortunately, this is happening everywhere."

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust's chief medical officer Prof Katie Urch, said it was "fully supporting this investigation to help improve maternity care".

An inquest into Orlando's death found he had suffered brain damage after clinicians failed to recognise that Mrs Davis had developed hyponatremia - a lower than normal level of sodium in the bloodstream - during labour.

The couple told the BBC they were told by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust that their case was "really rare".

But, after speaking to other families, they discovered "this was not the case whatsoever".

"We've very quickly found that, of course, there are multiple families that are not only going through baby loss, they're going through birth injuries, they're going through birth trauma," said Robyn.

The couple said they hoped for a wider public inquiry, adding that they wanted to see real change.

"How many times do we find ourselves hearing of a maternity issue – children dying, mums passing or almost passing or being left with lifelong injuries," said Jonathan.

"[Then] it happens again."

Improvements are also needed in how regulatory organisations support families looking for answers, he said, adding that the process felt like "an endurance race".

"Robyn was a midwife at Worthing Hospital... so what chance does a normal member of the public have?" he said.

Nicola Wise, the Care Quality Commission's director of secondary and specialist care, said: "Safe, high-quality maternity care for all should be the minimum expectation for women and babies – and is what staff working in maternity services across the country want to provide."

The Nursing and Midwifery Council's interim chief executive and registrar, Paul Rees MBE, said: "It is vital that when people raise concerns with us, their experience is as positive and supportive as possible. We are working to improve both the timeliness of our investigations and the experience for everyone involved."

A General Medical Council spokesperson said: "We take our responsibility extremely seriously and will investigate when there is evidence that indicates a doctor's current fitness to practise could be impaired."

UH Sussex's chief medical officer, Prof Katie Urch, said bereaved families "have shown immense courage in sharing their experiences and we remain committed to listening to and learning from them".

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