HSIB's patient safety investigations are now handled by HSSIB and MNSI

Former healthcare watchdog, HSIB, has now handed over its patient safety investigations programmes to HSSIB and MNSI. HSIB’s transformation to HSSIB finally took effect on 1st October 2023. This means that HSIB’s national investigations...

HSIB's Maternity Investigations Review 2022/23 - more than 1,380 maternity safety recommendations

England’s healthcare safety watchdog, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), has published its maternity investigations programme’s 2022/23 annual review.  The report highlights HSIB’s recent work to identify and alert the...

Medical negligence and maternity claims data from NHS Resolution's 2022/23 annual report

The NHS’s defence organisation, NHS Resolution, have published their annual report and accounts for the year 2022 to 2023. NHS Resolution’s annual round up sets out the financial cost of harm from medical negligence looking back over the last...

NHS Race and Health Observatory finds babies at risk from neonatal assessments based on skin colour

A review by the NHS Race and Health Observatory has found that babies of Black, Asian and ethnic minority ethnicity have a higher risk of delayed diagnosis of serious neonatal  conditions which are diagnosed by assessment of skin colour.  The...

King's Fund report highlights the needs of unpaid carers

A report by The King’s Fund has highlighted the need for better support for unpaid carers. The report, Caring in a Complex World , says that each year in England, unpaid family carers provide the equivalent of 4 million paid care workers or 7.9...

HSIB maternity investigations to be taken over by the CQC

Less than two months since the government announced  a six-month delay in MNSI’s takeover of Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch’s (HSIB) Maternity Investigation Programme, health ministers have now said that HSIB’s maternity...

HSIB says risk assessments must be more personal to provide safe maternity care

Healthcare watchdog, HSIB, has reviewed over 200 recommendations made in its maternity programme investigations to identify how risk assessment affects safety in maternity care  during pregnancy, labour and birth. HSIB’s findings are published in...

HSIB's handover of investigations to MNSI and HSSIB delayed until October 2023

Read our latest article "HSIB's patient safety investigations are now handled by HSSIB and MNSI". The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that HSIB’s imminent handover of its maternity and healthcare safety...

NHS Resolution's Early Notification (EN) Scheme update lacks evidence of early financial help for families after birth injury

The NHS’s defence organisation, NHS Resolution, has published its latest report on the Early Notification (EN) Scheme . The second report: The evolution of the Early Notification Scheme promotes NHS Resolution’s efforts to reduce the length...

HSIB - 731 maternity safety incidents referred for investigation in 2021/2022

Healthcare safety watchdog, HSIB, has reported on a year of maternity safety incident investigations. The report, HSIB maternity investigation programme year in review 2021/22, looks back at HSIB’s investigations into the deaths of mothers, and the ...

RCM's Re:Birth Project finds mothers want safe, positive births and clear, factual, non-judgmental language

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has published its report on the Re:Birth Project which asked women and birthing people, their families and maternity professionals about the type of language that should be used in conversations and clinical records during...

NHS Resolution prioritises maternity in latest strategy - is compensating patients part of the plan?

The NHS’s defence organisation, NHS Resolution, has published its strategic plan for the next three years, ‘ Advise, Resolve and Learn ’.  For the first time, maternity is at the top of the to do list as a stand-alone strategic...

#See the hidden me: How lockdown revealed hidden abilities in a child with maximum severity disability from HIE resulting in cerebral palsy

This Action for Brain Injury Week, charities, campaigners and other supporters of people with acquired brain injury (ABI) are raising awareness of the hidden challenges that come with the condition, and inviting us to #SeeTheHiddenMe. It is well known for...

Ockenden Maternity Review - repeated failings harmed mothers and babies on an unprecedented scale

The final report of the Ockenden Maternity Review has found that Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust ‘failed to investigate, failed to learn and failed to improve and therefore often failed to safeguard mothers and their babies at one of the...

HSIB to investigate ethnicity and delayed diagnosis of neonatal jaundice

UPDATE - You can now read about HSIB's full report here. HSIB have launched an investigation into the way that ethnicity affects the detection of neonatal jaundice. The healthcare watchdog will explore the safety issues associated with delayed...

HSIB reports on delayed emergency neonatal blood transfusion at birth following acute blood loss during labour and/or delivery

Healthcare watchdog, HSIB, have published their latest national investigation report,  Emergency neonatal blood transfusion at birth following acute blood loss during labour and/or delivery . The national investigation was launched following...

Caesarean section births - NHS maternity chiefs tell hospitals to abandon 'unsafe' targets

NHS maternity services in England must stop limiting the number of caesarean sections they perform to meet ‘unsafe’ targets. According to media sources, including The Guardian newspaper and the BBC, a letter from NHS maternity chiefs has asked...

HSIB report calls for change to 'postcode lottery' 999 call advice for mothers awaiting ambulances for maternity emergencies

Healthcare watchdog, HSIB, has published its latest national investigation report, Maternity pre-arrival instructions by 999 call handlers . The national investigation followed an HSIB maternity investigation into the telephone advice given by a...

New plans announced for the future of maternity safety investigations

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, has told Parliament that the government plans to set up a Special Health Authority to continue the work of the HSIB’s maternity investigation programme.  The announcement appears to...

Baby Lifeline's 'Mind the Gap' report says gaps in maternity training are putting mothers and babies at risk

Maternity charity, Baby Lifeline’s report, Mind the Gap 2021: An Investigation into Maternity Training for Frontline Professionals Across the UK (2020/21), says gaps in maternity training in NHS hospitals are putting mothers and babies at risk. The...

Government launches inquiry into NHS medical negligence system reform

In July 2021 the Parliamentary Health and Social Care Committee’s report  into the safety of maternity services in England condemned the rate of improvement in NHS maternity care as too slow. Amongst its findings, the Committee, chaired by former...

HSIB reviews a year of 760 maternity investigations

Healthcare watchdog, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (also known as HSIB), has published its 2020/21 maternity programme review. The report looks back on the work that HSIB has carried out to investigate patient safety incidents arising from NHS...

Maternity safety: HSIB finds failings in midwife training, competency testing and suitability of fetal heart rate monitoring equipment

Healthcare watchdog, HSIB, has published its latest national learning report into maternity safety, focussing on the suitability of continuous fetal heart rate monitoring equipment used in pregnancy and labour. HSIB’s report , Suitability of equipment...

Health and Social Care Committee's Report on maternity safety says rate of improvement too slow

A report by the Parliamentary Health and Social Care Committee inquiry into maternity services in England, chaired by Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt , has condemned the rate of improvement in NHS maternity care as too slow. The committee’s conclusions are based...

Group B Strep Trial of Routine GBS Testing for Pregnant Women

In 2019 the National Institute of Health Research funded a trial to look at whether a regular test for group B strep (GBS) infection would improve the prevention of early onset group B streptococcal infections in babies. The trial was to be held across...

Each Baby Counts (EBC) final report says no reduction in brain damaged babies, stillbirths or early neonatal deaths

Each Baby Counts ( EBC ), the RCOG’s maternity improvement programme which hoped to halve the number of term babies who die or suffer brain injury during birth, has published its final report. The  Each Baby Counts 2020 Final Progress...

Latest HSIB report: severe brain injury, neonatal death and stillbirth from maternity care of big babies and shoulder dystocia

The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB)   has published its latest national learning report into maternity safety: Severe brain injury, early neonatal death and intrapartum stillbirth associated with larger babies and shoulder dystocia. ...

Ockenden Independent Review Calls For 'Immediate And Essential' Action To Improve Safety In Maternity Care

The Ockenden Review of Maternity Services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has called for ‘immediate and essential’ action across maternity services in England to improve maternity safety. What is the Ockenden Review? The Ockenden...

Changes to the law allow claimants with long-term serious injury to claim additional costs of accommodation

The law relating to the amount of compensation that a severely injured person can claim for the extra cost of buying a home suitable for their disability has changed. The Court of Appeal has ruled that claimants whose injuries leave them with special...

NHS Resolution Annual Report 2019/20 - protecting the NHS against injured patients?

NHS Resolution, the organisation which defends the NHS against clinical negligence claims, has published its annual report for 2019 to 2020. The report contains the usual headline-grabbing figures for compensation paid to patients injured by negligent care,...

HSIB learning report says better care is needed to avoid harm to newborn babies from unsafe skin-to-skin contact

The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch’s (HSIB) latest national learning report has highlighted the need for better care to avoid harm to newborn babies from unsafe skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth. The report follows HSIB’s...

HSIB Learning Report - babies seriously injured from maternity and neonatal errors in GBS (group B strep) care

The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch or HSIB have published a national learning report from their investigations of maternity and neonatal errors in GBS (group B strep) care resulting in serious birth and neonatal injury to babies. The national...

New Maternity Safety Inquiry - improving patient safety or cutting claimant compensation?

Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee has launched a new inquiry into the safety of maternity services in England. The announcement and ‘call for evidence’ follows a call by former Health Secretary , Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP,...

HSIB's Summary Report on Maternity Safety Themes at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

This week, the families of babies who died or suffered brain injury as a result of negligent maternity care at two maternity units run by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust begin sharing their experiences with the panel of investigators...

Hyponatraemia - brain injury from low blood sodium caused by fluid monitoring errors in childbirth

We hear a lot about the importance of good hydration. People who are interested in health or fitness make sure that they are drinking plenty of water. In childbirth, excess water consumption can leave the bloodstream dangerously short of sodium (salt). This...

What is hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) and what does it mean for my child?

Parents who are trying to come to terms with a newborn baby’s brain injury often feel frustrated at the lack of clear information. They know that something serious happened at birth. They may even have been contacted by NHS Resolution , the NHS...

Birthrights - are NHS trusts using coronavirus as an excuse to refuse caesarean sections?

One in four births in the UK takes place by caesarean section. That means that 25% of mothers either need or want to have their baby by surgical operation. Some of these will try to give birth vaginally but find that concerns about their own or the...

Birth injury compensation claims from Syntocinon, uterine hyperstimulation and uterine rupture in labour

Contractions of the mother’s uterus (womb) are a natural part of childbirth. Successful labour and vaginal delivery depend on the mother’s uterine contractions opening (dilating) the cervix and pushing the baby down into the birth canal. ...

Twin pregnancy - complications and causes of claims for compensation

According to the NHS , twin and multiple pregnancies are becoming more common. Today, 1 in 65 births in the UK are twins or multiple babies, compared with 1 in 100 in 1984. Twin pregnancies carry greater risks for the mother and baby than...

RCOG and RCM set new guidelines for minimum antenatal and postnatal maternity care standards during COVID-19

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have published new guidelines setting out recommended minimum standards of safe antenatal and postnatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new guidelines...

VBAC (Vaginal birth after caesarean section) - what are the risks?

When a pregnant woman is advised to have a vaginal delivery after her previous child was born by  caesarean section, she must be properly advised and her labour carefully managed to reduce her risk of uterine rupture. The Royal College of Obstetricians...

Each Baby Counts: 72% of injured babies in 2017 might have had different outcomes with better care

Each Baby Counts, the maternity care improvement programme run by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) which aims to reduce the number of stillbirths, neonatal deaths and babies who are brain-damaged at birth, has published its latest...

HSIB National Learning Report identifies themes in NHS maternity safety - but still no recommendations

HSIB has published its long-awaited first national learning report into maternity safety since taking over responsibility for investigating incidents of brain damage, stillbirth and neonatal injury to babies, and maternal deaths, in April 2018. The report...

Care Quality Commission tells NHS maternity services improvement is needed to 'get safer faster'

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has recently told NHS maternity services in England to improve faster ‘to ensure that women and babies get consistently good, safe care’. In its March 2020 report, ‘ Getting safer faster: key areas...

Vitamin K deficiency bleeding - Why newborn babies need Vitamin K

We are all familiar with everyday vitamins, such as vitamins A, B, C, D and E, but how much do you know about vitamin K? Most adults who are eating a healthy diet will never need extra vitamin K because their bodies produce enough of it naturally. For...

Jeremy Hunt calls for maternity safety enquiry

Former Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has called for an independent enquiry into maternity safety in the NHS. According to The Independent , he is calling for a probe into why poor care and cover-ups are being repeated at different hospitals to find out...

Meet cerebral palsy lawyer Susan Brown

Susan Brown has dedicated her specialist legal career spanning over 25 years to helping brain-injured and severely disabled children and their families rebuild their lives after negligently caused birth and neonatal injury. Nationally acclaimed and...

Patients' lawyers ask NHS Resolution; "What are you telling parents of babies harmed at birth?"

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), a professional body of specialist lawyers who act for people harmed as a result of negligence, has called for NHS Resolution to tell them what they are advising parents of babies who have been brain-injured...

Achieving full compensation where there has been a negligent contribution to birth-related or neonatal brain injury

Over the years, I have helped hundreds of families whose lives have been shattered by their baby suffering a brain injury at birth. With experience, I have learned to recognise mistakes in maternity care, and the types of injury that are caused by many...

Government figures - 105 birth-injured babies received settlements exceeding £1m in 2018/2019

Earlier this year, the government confirmed that in the 2018/2019 financial year, the NHS made 105 compensation settlements of over £1million to babies disabled for life by medical negligence. In the same year, Boyes Turner’s cerebral...

Fetal monitoring in labour - what monitoring is available and why is it so important?

Measuring an unborn baby’s heart rate is a very good way of checking their health during labour and birth. A normal heart rate can reassure healthcare professionals that it is safe to continue labour if no other problems are present. On the other...

Neonatal Jaundice - myths and midwife mistakes

Are you confused by neonatal jaundice? If so, you are probably not alone. This is because neonatal jaundice is often described as a common condition which is usually harmless and resolves in a few days, but also as a potentially dangerous condition which can...

NHS Resolution's Early Notification Scheme after brain injury at birth - who is it helping?

The NHS defence organisation, NHS Resolution, claims that its Early Notification Scheme offers support for families of babies who were born at full term but suffered hypoxic (lack of oxygen) brain injury from mistakes in maternity care. Promoted by NHS...

Interim payments for early access to rehabilitation and therapy

From the moment we agree to pursue a client’s medical negligence case, our focus is on obtaining an admission of liability. This acknowledgement of fault is of the utmost importance to our clients. It recognises that something outside of their control...

Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch to stop maternity investigations by 2021

The government has confirmed that its former plans for maternity safety investigations to be carried out by the Health Service Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB), the new statutory successor to the HSIB, have been removed from the Health Service Safety...

All we want for Christmas is... Sensory toys!

It’s the festive season and for any child that has to mean TOYS! For parents, grandparents and anyone else involved in meeting the child’s ‘Santa’ expectations, filling a stocking isn’t always that simple.  High hopes and...

Interview with Consultant Neonatologist, Dr Peter Dear

Each baby’s birth is a journey of multiple stages from pregnancy through labour and delivery into their first few days of life. The safety of the birth process and the mother and baby’s health and wellbeing are often managed by a team of health...

New treatment offers hope of reducing harm to babies born prematurely

Every year in England between 4,000 and 5,000 babies are born prematurely before 30 weeks’ gestation. Prematurity increases the risk of various serious conditions, including cerebral palsy. The risk of developing cerebral palsy is around 10% for babies...

Interview with Dr Cheryl Newton, Consultant Paediatric Neuropsychologist & Clinical Psychologist

When a child suffers a brain injury it takes specialist skills to understand and untangle the various ways in which the injury will affect their life. Their ability to think, perceive, process information, function and communicate may be impaired, affecting...

Living with cerebral palsy in adulthood

A difficult and detailed, but vitally important, part of our role is to predict and value the needs of an infant with cerebral palsy into adulthood and throughout their life. Like any child, their needs will change as they grow and develop, but for...

Interview with Laxmi Patel: Helping children with Cerebral Palsy get the right school placement

For many parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) the process of finding and obtaining a placement at the right school for their child can be confusing, frustrating and exhausting. It takes considerable time, paperwork, persistence and an...

Where to go on holiday with a disabled child?

Children love the school holidays but as all parents know, holidays need planning, particularly when the family includes a disabled child. So, with summer almost here, here are a few ‘staycation’ holiday opportunities for disabled children to...

Living with Erb's palsy or brachial plexus nerve injury

When someone mentions birth injury or birth trauma, we may immediately think about injuries to the baby’s head and brain, or physical and/or psychological injury to the mother. Whilst these types of injury are more commonly talked about in the NHS and...

The disabled teenager's dilemma: Am I too old or too young to bring a claim?

The parent’s dilemma: my child has cerebral palsy - do I cope or question? Living with severe disability can be stressful. It’s only natural that parents who have experienced a difficult birth or neonatal injury to their child often try to set...

Claims and the NHS

Susan Brown has over twenty years' experience of working for people who have been injured as a result of medical negligence. We asked Susan to share her insight into some of the worries expressed by families who are considering claiming their...

Introducing Ruth Meyer, head of our Court of Protection team

We asked Boyes Turner partner, Ruth Meyer , about how she supports children with cerebral palsy andtheir families through her role in the Court of Protection team . Ruth qualified as a solicitor in 1990 and is also a qualified New York attorney....

Controlled cooling or therapeutic hypothermia for newborn babies with brain injury

When a baby is born with brain injury after suffering from lack of oxygen at birth , the severity of their injury (e.g. moderate to severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy or HIE) and their chances of survival will determine whether they must be treated...

Trauma claims on the rise for caesarean deliveries complicated by 'impaction of the fetal head' in second stage of labour

A research study has recently been launched to find out more about the rising numbers of second stage caesarean sections in the UK which are complicated by impaction of the fetal head and in turn lead to injury to both mother and baby. What is the second...

How does Boyes Turner protect vulnerable clients and their compensation?

As high value medical negligence claims specialists helping severely disabled children and adults achieve compensation to meet their lifelong needs, clients often ask us: What happens after the settlement? Won’t I be vulnerable with so much money? How...

Living with cerebral palsy brain injury - Can I still have an active lifestyle?

As specialist serious injury solicitors, we know the many ways that life can be altered after a brain injury, not just for the injured person but for their family too. It is important both for the individual and their family that they can get out of the...

Local charities supporting families with disability

Much of the work we do here in the medical negligence team at Boyes Turner is aimed at securing compensation to meet all the individual needs of our disabled clients throughout their lives. While our role is to assist with the litigation process, we also...

Living with Cerebral Palsy: how can I find better accommodation?

Cerebral palsy specialist, Susan Brown , has been recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers Directory for her expertise in maximum severity claims for more than a decade. In this article we asked Susan about one of the most important concerns for a family...

How will the Personal Injury Discount Rate review reduce compensation for the severely injured?

The Lord Chancellor has now begun a review of the personal injury discount rate. This will inevitably lead to a significant reduction in compensation payments for severely injured victims of negligence. It follows on from the Civil Liability Act...

Is there a cure for Cerebral Palsy?

There is currently no cure for cerebral palsy . The injury to the brain which causes the condition, and its effects, are permanent. The functional impairments and disabilities which arise from the condition are managed by a range of treatments or...

Quantifying claims relating to cerebral palsy

Medical negligence partner, Richard Money-Kyrle, has been recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers Directory for his expertise in maximum severity claims for more than a decade. As a specialist in achieving high value awards for clients with cerebral palsy...

Top ten issues to consider at liability judgment

The aim of a claim for personal injury or clinical negligence is to put the injured person back in the position they were in before they sustained an injury. As experienced injury lawyers, we know that this is almost impossible to achieve in reality. ...

Each Baby Counts Progress Report reveals extent of birth-related harm to babies

The latest progress report by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ (RCOG) maternity quality improvement programme, Each Baby Counts , has revealed that in 2016, in the UK, 1,123 term babies were severely brain damaged at...

All #AGloHa for Child Brain Injury Trust

Over the last week, the staff at Boyes Turner Solicitors have been supporting #GloWeek and raising funds in support of the Child Brain Injury Trust.  As the autumnal evenings draw in, the Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT) work to highlight the...

International Cerebral Palsy Claims - how to choose the right lawyer for you

Moving abroad after your child suffers catastrophic injury from medical negligence in England or Wales shouldn't prevent you from making a claim for compensation . Serious injury claims should always be handled by solicitors with specialist...

Maternity investigations to remain outside HSSIB's remit

In April 2018 I reported on the announcement by the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Hunt, that the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) would be extending its remit to investigate 1,000 maternity incidents per year....

Parliamentary Joint Committee recommends safe space for HSSIB but not for NHS Trusts

The Parliamentary Joint Committee has reported on the draft Health Service Safety Investigations Bill , which sets out the government’s plans for an independent Health Service Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) to carry out ‘safe space’...

Latest NHS clinical negligence claims figures from NHS Resolution's Annual Report 2017/2018

NHS Resolution, the special health authority originally known as the NHS Litigation Authority and now rebranded to " resolve claims against the NHS fairly, share learning for improvement and preserve resources for patient care" , has published its...

Boyes Turner are now organisation members of CP Sport

Boyes Turner’s cerebral palsy claims lawyers have secured millions of pounds in compensation for families caring for children with a permanent disability caused by negligent medical care. We are committed to using our nationally acclaimed expertise...

Fetal heart monitoring mix ups - when the CTG picks up the maternal pulse

In a recent post Each Baby Counts report on anaesthetic care - Maternity safety depends on teamwork I commented on the latest report from the RCOG’s Each Baby Counts programme which reviewed the ways in which delays in anaesthetic care...

CISPRA World Games 2018 - Go Team CP England!

As the Cerebral Palsy International Sport & Recreation Association (CPISRA) World Games gets underway this week in San Cugat, Spain, we wish all the athletes the best of luck in achieving their sporting goals. The CPISRA World Games’ physically...

Each Baby Counts report on anaesthetic care - maternity safety depends on teamwork

Following the publication in 2017 of the landmark report, Each Baby Counts , the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has now reported on the anaesthetic aspects of care given to the mothers of 49 of the babies who were originally...

How can meconium aspiration cause a brain injury?

Meconium can be both a sign and a cause of oxygen deprivation. In the absence of careful management during labour and delivery and immediately after birth, it can lead to brain injury, cerebral palsy and permanent disability. What is meconium? Meconium...

NHS Patient Safety - how will 'Safe Space' in investigations affect injured patients?

As the Parliamentary Joint Committee hears evidence on the Draft Health Service Safety Investigations Bill which will establish the Health Service Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) and empower it to investigate NHS patient safety incidents, the Association...

Breech birth - what are the RCOG Guidelines?

Mismanaged vaginal breech births, in which the baby’s position means that it is born bottom first or foot first instead of head first, have been found to give rise to a disproportionate number of successful, high value compensation claims. As the...

The Civil Liability Bill and Discount Rate

Following last year’s Ministry of Justice (MOJ) consultation on the Personal Injury Discount Rate  and the MOJ’s proposed draft legislation   to reform the way that the discount rate should be set in future, the Civil Liability...

HSIB to investigate 1000 maternity safety cases

The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) extends its remit this month to investigate certain types of maternity incidents, including intrapartum stillbirth, early neonatal deaths, perinatal maternal deaths  and severe brain injuries in...

Scope - The disability price tag

Disability charity, Scope, has published its new policy report, The disability price tag, in which it identifies some of the ways in which life costs more for disabled people. The report calls on government and businesses to act fast to tackle the...

CQC Maternity Survey

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published the results of its 2017 Survey of Women’s Experiences in Maternity Care. The results of the survey have been reported to demonstrate that of the 18,426 women who gave birth in February 2017 across 130...

RCOG full report published

The RCOG has now published its full  Each Baby Counts   report, following its analysis of over 700 cases of stillbirth, neonatal death and severe brain injury in term babies in 2015. The Each Baby Counts programme reflects the RCOG’s...

Five Years of Cerebral Palsy Claims: A thematic review of NHS Resolution Data

NHS Resolution has published the findings of a five-year review of cerebral palsy claims,  Five Years of Cerebral Palsy Claims: A thematic review of NHS Resolution Data. The review looked at 50 maternity incidents which took place between 2012 and...

The Personal Injury Discount Rate - legislating for change

Following the outcome of the Personal Injury Discount Rate consultation,  The Personal Injury Discount Rate: How Should It Be Set In Future   the Ministry of Justice has invited comments on its proposed draft legislation before Parliament...

Neonatal hypoglycaemia - 15 years of claims under review

In the first few days after birth, before regular and adequate feeding is established, babies often need help with managing their blood glucose levels. Newborns with low birth-weights (below 2.5kg) or those born to diabetic mothers are at increased risk of...

The Discount Rate - all set to rise again

The Ministry of Justice has published its response to the consultation,  The Personal Injury Discount rate: How  Should It Be Set In Future? The consultation was launched on 30 th  March 2017, a month after the Lord Chancellor announced...

NHSLA's Annual Report - Uncertain times ahead

NHS Resolution, (formerly NHSLA), has presented its Annual Report and Accounts for 2016 -2017 to Parliament. The annual report is the first following the expansion of its remit and change of  strategic focus  and argues NHS Resolution’s case...

Better Births for all - there's no such thing as "normal"

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM), the midwifery trade union, have confirmed that they are bringing to an end their 12-year-long campaign to promote “normal” births. In a statement dated 14 th  August, the RCM confirmed that following its...

Looking back at the World Para Athletics in London

During the recent World Para Athletics in London it was impossible to watch the events without feeling inspired and in awe of what people are able to achieve. Many of our clients have  cerebral palsy  as a result of negligence and we...

NHS Resolution - Saying sorry when things go wrong

NHS Resolution, the newly rebranded NHS Litigation Authority, has issued a leaflet for healthcare practitioners about the importance of saying sorry when things go wrong. In an open demonstration of NHS Resolution’s  new focus  on upstream...

Each Baby Counts - the recommendations. So, what's new?

In a  recent post  I commented on the RCOG’s report,  Each Baby Counts . The report, published in June, reiterated the commitment of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to reduce by half the number of stillbirths,...

Group B Strep Awareness Month

July is  International Group B Strep Awareness Month  and we’re helping raise awareness about the risks of group B streptococcal (GBS) infection to newborn babies. GBS is a common bacterium that is carried harmlessly by one in five women,...

Cerebra Head Awareness Week

It’s Cerebra’s head awareness week and we’re working with the charity to raise awareness of the challenges faced by children with brain conditions. Everyday tasks, activities, interactions and experiences can all present a...

Each Baby Counts - The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists reports on its findings

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) – the professional association which works to improve women’s healthcare by publishing clinical guidelines and advising government – has published its report,  Each Baby...

New Resolutions? - NHS Resolution 2017/2018 plan

The former NHSLA has published its first business plan under its new name, NHS Resolution. The 2017/2018 plan re-launches the Special Health Authority that was formerly responsible for defending and indemnifying legal claims brought against the NHS, as it...

Personal Injury Discount Rate consultation - Periodical Payment Orders (PPOs)

In my last post  I commented on the Ministry of Justice’s recent consultation paper,  The Personal Injury Discount Rate: How Should It Be Set In Future? I expressed my concerns about the Ministry of Justice’s attempt to circumvent...

The Personal Injury Discount Rate: How Should It Be Set In Future? - the latest consultation

On 30 th  March 2017, just ten days after the long awaited reduction in the discount rate came into force, the Ministry of Justice has issued a consultation,  The Personal Injury Discount Rate: How it should be set in future. The consultation...

Safe Space Consultation - follow up

The Department of Health has published the outcome of the Consultation,  Providing a ‘Safe Space’ in Healthcare Safety Investigations ,  which it launched in October 2016. The Consultation proposed the creation of a statutory...

Scope's new strategy - Everyday Equality

Leading disabled people’s charity, Scope, have published their new strategy for the next five years. “Everyday Equality – Scope’s Strategy 2017- 2022” sets out the charity’s vision for a future in which the UK’s...

Department of Health RRR Consultation - A Rapid Resolution and Redress Scheme for Severe Avoidable Birth Injury

The Department of Health has issued a consultation paper seeking comments on its suggested alternative compensation scheme for babies who have been brain damaged at birth by poor medical care. The consultation,  A Rapid Resolution and Redress Scheme...

New Discount Rates - and how they affect your claim

The Lord Chancellor recently announced a long-awaited reduction in the discount rate which will affect the way that some compensation awards are calculated. The new discount rate of minus 0.75% replaces the current rate of 2.5%. The change, which follows...

Coping with change -managing transition in cerebral palsy

Life is a series of transitions. We go from babyhood to nursery, from primary education to senior school. For some there is another leap to further or higher education before moving out as adults into the world of employment. For most of us the significance...

NICE Guideline for Cerebral Palsy in Under 25s

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published its guideline for the assessment and management of cerebral palsy in children and young people under the age of 25. The guideline aims to ensure that young people with cerebral palsy...

What are jaundice and kernicterus?

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline,  Jaundice in Newborn Babies under 28 days,  has recently been amended to clarify the type and extent of phototherapy treatment that should be given to newborn babies with...

Department of Health Consultation - Providing a 'Safe Space' in Healthcare Safety Investigations

The Department of Health is seeking patients’ comments on its proposal to create a statutory “safe space” for NHS clinicians and staff to speak freely during healthcare safety investigations into mistakes and problems in patient care. ...

No two claims are the same - compensation claim for a disabled child

If you’re considering making a compensation claim for a disabled child you might be wondering how much your child’s claim is worth.  When caused by medical negligence, serious neurological injuries such as  cerebral palsy , can attract...

Avoidable birth injuries - 'Rapid Resolution and Redress Scheme'

Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has invited parents of children who have been injured at birth to speak out about their experiences.  Their input will form part of a consultation process leading up to the introduction of a government...

My child has cerebral palsy. Can I claim compensation?

One of the most frequent questions that we’re asked at Boyes Turner is, “My child has cerebral palsy. Can I claim compensation?” Our specialist medical negligence lawyers are experts in obtaining high value damages awards for babies and...

We've joined the fight against meningitis!

We are proud and excited to announce our partnership with Meningitis Now – a charity dedicated to fighting meningitis in the UK. We have become a Brighter Future Partner and aim to support the charity with their vision of a future where no one in...

Cerebral palsy and cerebral palsy compensation - an overview

Cerebral palsy is the general term for a number of neurological conditions that affect movement and co-ordination. It is caused by a problem in the parts of the brain responsible for controlling muscles and can occur where a brain is damaged before, during...

Let's be Group B Strep aware

It’s Group B Strep Awareness month and we’re helping to raise awareness of group B Strep infection. What is Group B Strep? Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is normal bacterium most commonly found in the intestines. It is usually harmless. Why...

RCOG seek to raise awareness to reduce maternal deaths and injury to the unborn child

One in ten thousand pregnancies in the UK and Ireland results in the death of the mother.  Of these 32% were due to complications during pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia or bleeding, while 68% were due to other medical and mental health...

Over 900 babies born in 2015 died or were seriously brain injured due to mistakes during labour

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is working through it’s “Each Baby Counts” project to try to reduce this number by 50% by 2020. Of the 921 babies whose cases were reported to the project 655 (71%) had...

Rapid resolution scheme for babies who incur avoidable harm back in the news

On March 17 we reported that the  National Maternity Review had recommended a scheme be developed  whereby the NHS offers financial assistance to the families of babies who are injured by avoidable mistakes during childbirth.  The NHS and...

UK Perinatal Mortality Surveillance Report published May 2016

The UK Perinatal Mortality Surveillance Report 2016, published by Maternal, Newborn and Infant Clinical Outcome Review Programme (MBRRACE – UK), monitors rates of still births and neonatal deaths in the UK.  This is the second perinatal report...

National Maternity review recommends 'redress scheme' for birth injuries

The National Maternity Review was published in February 2016. One of the recommendations is for a ‘rapid resolution and redress scheme’ for birth injuries. Compensation for birth injuries It is felt that the current system for obtaining...

National maternity review published - give women a choice

The Cumberlege report into safer maternity care was published on Tuesday and recommends that all women should be offered the choice to give birth where they want, with the support of the same midwife throughout pregnancy, labour and the early weeks of...

NHS review highlights negligent maternity services

The NHS will today publish a major review into the safety of maternity services.  It was commissioned following the scandal at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS trust where, over a decade, up to 30 mothers and babies died following...

Hundreds of babies are left brain-damaged each year because the NHS does not learn from its mistakes

The number of compensation claims for cerebral palsy and brain damage sustained at birth has barely changed since 2006/07. Obstetrics claims account for 41 per cent of the value of compensation claims for medical negligence against the NHS. It is not...

NHS midwifery care - Report reveals extensive use of agency midwives

New figures obtained through Freedom of Information enquiry reveal that the NHS spent almost £18m on agency midwives in one year – enough to employ 511 full-time staff midwives. Using data obtained by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM)...

Saving Lives, Improving Mothers' Care - Maternal death report released

A report released earlier this month by MBRRACE-UK: Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK has found that, although there are now fewer pregnancy related deaths, care in respect of women’s mental...

Bliss report on neonatal services in the UK

Bliss, the national charity dedicated to the needs of premature and sick children, has received evidence from neonatal units, neonatal transport services and parents across the country about the state of neonatal care in England in 2015. Their findings...

Babies born at weekends are at greater risk of dying or suffering brain injury

Following on from the Government’s recent ambitious pledge to cut the rate of babies dying and suffering brain injury by 50% by 2030, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has just published a study indicating that there is a 7% increase in babies dying...

Independent review of maternity care services in England

An independent review of NHS maternity services in England is taking place this month, with a view to making recommendations for improvements in maternity care provision. The ‘NHS Maternity Review’, being conducted in conjunction with the...

Bliss identifies inadequate neonatal services

Bliss , the UK charity working to provide the best possible care and support for premature and sick babies and their families, has warned that two thirds of NHS neonatal intensive care units do not have enough nurses and doctors, and a similar number are...

CQC report poor NHS hospital care in England

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has reported that three-quarters of  NHS hospitals in England  are failing to meet high standards of safety. Inspectors rated 13 per cent of hospitals “inadequate” for safety while 61 per cent...

Loss of midwifery units affect level of maternity care

The National Childbirth Trust has issued a warning that at least a dozen midwife-led units are under threat due to a shortage of midwives. This follows an estimate by the Royal College of Midwives that Britain is short of 10,000 midwifery staff, with low...

Pregnancy and childbirth in the UK

Save the Children’s annual ‘State of the World’s Mothers’   reports that women in the UK are more than twice as likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth as those in other European countries. Britain failed to rank in...

Ineffectiveness of Health Service Ombudsman

The Patients Association today releases a damning report into the effectiveness of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The report concludes: ‘The evidence we have gathered gives a public perception of the PHSO as lacklustre, weak,...

Hospitals wasting up to £2.5 billion per year on medical error

In a speech at Birmingham Children’s hospital, the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, will claim today that Hospitals are wasting up to £2.5bn a year of the total NHS budget through basic poor care and medical error. Hunt will renew his criticism...

Legal Aid for clinical negligence

Public opinion has hardened against the government’s cuts to legal aid, according to the results of a poll newly published to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of the legal aid system. Research, funded by the Law Society and carried out...

Clinical Negligence 'chancers'

The NHS Litigation Authority has reported an ‘unprecedented’ level of new claims as personal injury solicitors branch out into clinical negligence. The authority’s annual report, published this week, has revealed that the number of...

Honesty in the NHS

The long campaign, strongly supported by Boyes Turner, for a statutory duty of candour requiring medical staff to tell the truth when a serious error has been made is soon to come to fruition. The duty will form part of statutory regulations setting out...

The Medical Innovation Bill

The Bill was born out of the overwhelming grief of its sponsor, Lord Saatchi, after the loss of his wife to cancer, as well as a genuine desire to encourage doctors to use innovative medicine and techniques to ensure patients have the best possible chance...

New approach to clinical negligence claims

The leader of one of England’s biggest NHS trusts has vowed that his organisation will take a new approach to clinical negligence claims. Stuart Poynor, chief executive of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Partnership, is reported by the Law...

'Wilful neglect' becomes a criminal offence

Staff will face the risk of going to jail if they mistreat patients after ministers decided to ignore protests from doctors’ organisations and bring in a criminal offence of “wilful neglect”.  Deliberate or reckless behaviour towards...

NICE create guidelines for nursing staff

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has drawn up guidelines to address levels of nursing staff following the Francis Inquiry into the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust. Having hospital nurses care for more than eight patients each during...

Half of NHS hospitals found to have no medical staff on non-executive boards

Researchers from Bournemouth University have found that half of  NHS hospitals do not have a single doctor or nurse on their non-executive board. Overall, only 8 per cent of the non-executive directors at more than 160 NHS trusts had frontline...

Boyes Turner secure settlement for highly complex birth injury case

Specialist cerebral palsy solicitors,  Susan Brown  and  Vanessa Wand , of Boyes Turner secured a full admission of liability for Nicholas* in a highly complex birth injury case. The injury left Nicholas with bilateral cerebral palsy...

Ruling handed down about gifts from a child's compensation award

This recent case handed down by Judge Lush on the 20 March 2014 relates to an application for a gift to be made from the damages award of an 11 year old boy known as AK. AK has  cerebral palsy  as a result of injuries sustained at the time of his...

Boyes Turner secure settlement for birth injury claim

Specialist cerebral palsy solicitor Susan Brown of Boyes Turner secured a settlement at 50% of the liability case for Sophie* in a highly complex birth injury case.   The injury left Sophie with severe full body cerebral palsy.  The injury was...

Report concludes that doctors should admit their mistakes

The conclusions of a report by the president of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) and an NHS trust chief executive will put pressure on the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to agree to a full  ‘duty of candour’ , which patients’...

Damning report on maternity care released

A damning report on maternity care by the Public Accounts Committee suggests that women are being failed by NHS maternity services with more than 14 babies a day in England either stillborn or dying within seven days of their birth.  It said there were...

Specialist medical negligence solicitors secure compensation for Zac after a highly complex birth injury claim

Boyes Turner’s specialist cerebral palsy solicitors  secured a settlement for approximately £3 million after a highly complex  birth injury  case.  Zac suffered a brain injury at the time of his birth in 2005, and suffers...

Midwifery failure of care

A  Care Quality Commission  survey of 23,000 women who gave birth in England in February revealed significant dissatisfaction, and sometimes anger and anguish. One in four said they were left alone by midwives or doctors during or after labour or...

Cerebral palsy claim settled for £1.4 million

Yesterday at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Mrs Justice Nicola Davies, a high court Judge, approved the settlement in a very  complex cerebral palsy claim , handled by Boyes Turner, for a child with profound disabilities caused by injuries...

Boyes Turner secure £1.3 million settlement for 14 year old Malcolm

Specialist  cerebral palsy  solicitor Susan Brown of Boyes Turner secured a settlement of £1.3m for Malcolm after highly complex  birth injuries  were sustained.  The injury left Malcolm with moderate dyskinetic cerebral...

Boyes Turner secure £7 million settlement for Jennifer

Specialist cerebral palsy solicitor, Susan Brown of Boyes Turner, secured a £7m settlement for Jennifer*  after a highly complex  birth injury  case. The injury left Jennifer with dyskinetic cerebral palsy which affected all of her...

Causes of cerebral palsy - new study

Findings from a 15-year study published in  Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica , a journal of the Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology, indicate that human error is the most common cause of infant asphyxiation at...

Boyes Turner secure compensation following delay in diagnosis of meningitis

Boyes Turner secured a 57.5% liability settlement in favour of 23 year old,  Joanne*  who developed a severe brain injury after a delay in diagnosis and treatment of meningitis in February 1990. Joanne has been diagnosed with  cerebral...

Boyes Turner secure £3 million settlement for Jessica

Boyes Turner’s Cerebral Palsy compensation team secured a settlement for approximately £3 million for  Jessica * after a highly complex birth injury case.  The injury left Jessica with  athetoid cerebral palsy  caused...

Oxborrow v West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust

Nathan* has been awarded £3 million for the  injuries he sustained at the time of his birth  in October 2006. He was born at West Suffolk Hospital by emergency caesarean section at 4.26 am. Nathan’s mother had been admitted to...

Lack of support for special educational needs in the UK

In the UK, educational support for special educational needs (SEN) children is supposed to be woven into mainstream health and education provision. However, integration of care is not aided by the historic divide that has always existed in caring between...

Maternity care negligence

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the NHS care watchdog, has uncovered “a catalogue of failings” at Barts Health NHS Trust including uncaring staff, blood-stained equipment, poor hygiene standards, patients not being helped to eat and a...

7 year old awarded £2.2m after negligent delivery led to cerebral palsy

Jonathan’s* mother was induced on 19 April at the defendant hospital, following which her labour progressed slowly. Intermittent heart monitoring was undertaken for the next couple of days. On the morning of 22 April Jonathan’s heart rate became...

12 year old with cerebral palsy awarded substantial compensation

In July 2001 Callum*, now aged 12, was delivered at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. It was subsequently found that he had been  starved of oxygen during the labour . Consequently he was diagnosed with  cerebral palsy  affecting...

Pre-eclampsia poses cerebral palsy risk for premature and small babies

Exposure to  pre-eclampsia  is associated with an increased risk of  cerebral palsy  (CP) in newborns, if they are preterm or small at birth, suggests a study published today on  bmj.com . Pre-eclampsia affects 3-5% of pregnant...

Home birth complications 'less common' than hospital

The BBC recently ran  a report  outlining some research that was published in the British Medical Journal recently which related to a study in the Netherlands that concluded that, particularly for second time mums, a planned home birth is...

We care - Boyes Turner show their support for the Britain Cares campaign

The Government are bringing in a Care and Support Bill to decide what public services to support in a Spending Review on 26th June.  Over 100,000 people may miss out on help with these basic needs if proposed spending cuts are put into place. ...

'Catastrophic' malpractice payouts add little to health care's rising costs

Medical News Today reports that efforts to lower health care costs in the United States have often focused on demands to reform the  medical malpractice  system, with some researchers asserting that large, headline-grabbing and...

Maternity indicators report published

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has produced a report which highlights a considerable variation in practice and outcomes amongst maternity units in England. It lists a number of indicators which can be used to compare the performance...

Failing maternity services

According to a report from the National Federation of Women’s Institutes and National Childbirth Trust newly released, almost two-thirds of new mothers feel let down by the NHS after giving birth. 60 per cent of women wanted more support with...

Hospital apologise for child's death from brain damage

It was recently reported on BBC news that a hospital responsible for causing the death of a one year old child has apologised for causing the brain damage leading to his death. The little boy suffered injuries after delays in his birth at Walsall Manor...

Severely brain damaged boy awarded £6 million compensation

Joseph O’Reggio of Wolverhampton suffered a  permanent brain injury  when mistakes were made at the time of his birth in April 2001. Joseph was born at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton. In June 2011 the Wolverhampton NHS Trust denied...

Government scheme has been abandoned

The government has abandoned a scheme to take up to 25% of damages awards from  clinical negligence victims . The Supplementary Legal Aid scheme was intended to fund cases that would still come under the scope of legal aid from next April....

Josef Craig - youngest Paralympic Gold!

Schoolboy swimming sensation Josef Craig, 15, smashed the world record to became Britain’s youngest Paralympic gold medal winner – before declaring, “it’s the happiest day of my life”. Craig, who has  cerebral palsy ,...

Alexander's story - Boyes Turner launch YouTube resource for families of children with cerebral palsy

Law firm – Boyes Turner is pleased to announce the launch of three  YouTube videos  featuring their client, Alexander, who suffered cerebral palsy due to medical negligence during his birth, along with his mother and father. Alexander is...

Silver for Graeme Ballard in the T36 Men's 100 metre final

33 year old Graeme Ballard took silver in the T36 men’s 100 metre final at the Paralympic Games yesterday. The 33 year old Ballard, who has  cerebral palsy , had a fantastic start in his final, and led for most of the race, only to be beaten...

Bronze for Gemma Prescott in the club throw

28 year old Gemma Prescott threw a new European record of 20.5 metres to claim  Great Britain’s fourth athletics medal of the games . Gemma, who is from Warrington and suffers with  cerebral palsy , made her Paralympics debut in Beijing...

Supplementary legal aid scheme planned by MoJ

The Ministry of Justice is planning from April 2013 to levy 25% of the general damages and past losses (often including money to compensate parents for the years of care they have provided) awarded to babies who are brain damaged as a result of clinical...

Shortage of midwives in the NHS

The Royal College of Midwifery have stated that they believe that there is a shortage of midwives in the East Lancashire area. The fear is that many midwife led units could close and  standard of care  will suffer if additional...

Private care homes and disability - twice as likely to receive poor quality care

People with learning disabilities in privately run institutions are twice as likely to receive unsafe and poor quality care compared with the NHS, a damning report from The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has revealed. Only one in three private hospitals...

Cerebral palsy teenager disabled at birth awarded £6.5 million compensation

Rhiannon Hayman, 15, of Bridgend, has severe cerebral palsy, is unable to talk or walk without help and requires round-the-clock care. She sustained her injuries after being starved of oxygen during her birth at Bridgend’s Princess of Wales...

Cerebral palsy claim settled - £7 million compensation recovered from NHS

BBC News has reported that a disabled girl who was starved of oxygen at birth has been awarded up to £7 million in compensation from the NHS . Seven-year-old Ella Bryant-Brand suffered brain damage when her umbilical cord became wrapped around her...

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