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Maternity crisis cost my baby his life and others could die too, says mother
Ellen Widdup and Sophie Goodchild18.06.09
A woman whose baby died after she was turned away from her nearest maternity unit warned today that more lives could be lost as the NHS faces a crisis this summer.
Rachel Canter, 37, was in the late stages of labour and needed urgent attention but was forced to take a 20-minute detour from Barnet hospital. The maternity unit was so full staff had closed its doors to admissions.
Mrs Canter, from Welwyn, Hertfordshire, was diverted to Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield but her son Jake had breathing difficulties and died shortly after birth.
The fitness instructor, who has two children, said: "Jake could be with us today. He would be nearly four. Our treatment was a disgrace - a classic case of underfunding and understaffing. It's clear that since Jake was born not much has changed."
Midwives have issued a warning over pressures facing London maternity units. They say hospitals are already bursting at the seams with some closing to new maternity cases several times a week to cope.
The Royal College of Midwives is working with the capital's health chiefs to improve care and reduce "escalations" - when units have to close.
Pat Gould, RCM team manager for London, said: "On average, we are seeing trusts using their escalation policy, where they can't admit any more women, once a month."
Midwives say some hospitals are closing to new maternity cases several times a week.
Barnet's unit closes three times a week but this does not show up on official records as women are transferred to Chase Farm, which is part of the same trust.
Trust managers plan to cut the number of maternity consultants as services merge.
Barnet and Chase Farm NHS trust, which runs the two hospitals, said the safety of mothers and their babies was its priority.
A spokeswoman said: "Women and their babies can now be treated throughout the transfer in specialist neonatal ambulances."
Mrs Canter and husband Andrew, 41, have set up the National Maternity Support Foundation to raise awareness of closures and cutbacks.
Reader views (5)
And they want to downgrade Chase Farm?? Time to act Gordon and fast before any more lives are needlessly lost.
- Caroline, Enfield
The lady in question above, Rachel, is my partner's sister. We're going to have a baby in Dec (if all goes well) and are booked into Barnet. We've already told Barnet that if they close we are not going to Chase Farm, as the journey and also mistakes made at Chase Farm, cost Jake his life.
Now that we know that Barnet closes 3 times a week (they told us once a week max), we will have to re-examine whether we should to choose another hospital.
The trouble is though that all London hospitals are overun and nothing is guaranteed.
- Rob, London, UK
Totally ridiculous to downgrade Chase Farm Maternity services. It should be doubled. We have a increase in the number of foreign mothers who are giving birth in this area.Barnet just cannopt cope now. There is a shortage of midwives due to cutbacks in spending on staff. Madness
- Mary Davies, Barnet
- A spokeswoman said: "Women and their babies can now be treated throughout the transfer in specialist neonatal ambulances."
How about not spending the money on specialist ambulances (or extended public "consultations" on downgrading Chase Farm when everyone knows they're going to do it anyway regardless of the arguments against) and instead making sure there is enough capacity in the hospital in the first place?
For every mother-to-be admitted, there are two lives at risk - hers and her child's. Is it too much to ask to have enough space and staff available to care for them??
- Karen, Barnet
This story is heartbreaking, especially as Chase Farm Hospital is intending to close its consultant led maternity services and divert mothers imminently-to-be to Barnet, which is already over stretched. These stories just highlight what the people of Enfield, and its surrounding towns, already know - Barnet is not capable of taking the capacity. Never has been, never will be. It is an absolute 21st Century disgrace and shouldn't be allowed to happen.
- Justine Young, Enfield, London
