Trust responds to critical neonatal report

A hospital trust has said it is making improvements following a report detailing the high number of baby deaths there.

John Jones, medical director of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, said he asked The Royal College of Physicians to carry out the review, which identified poor care and issues with its neonatal service.

He said it was important the trust did "all that we could to understand whether there was anything we could be doing differently".

When asked if it was safe to give birth in Shropshire, he said the unit at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital was "really good".

In the year 2021-22, 18 neonatal deaths were recorded by the trust, which was 5% higher than similar sized trusts.

For the three years before this, neonatal mortality had also been high, prompting the trust to call for the review.

Mr Jones said: "The report was really clear that there isn't a theme of substandard care for example on the neonatal unit to explain the fact that we are an outlier in terms of the mortality rates."

He suggested other factors may be responsible, such as deprivation and access, and the report stated that SaTH could not be taken in isolation from other parts of the West Midlands.

Mr Jones added: “We have written to each of the 18 families whose baby or babies’ care was reviewed and have begun meeting with them, in person, to answer any questions and to offer support."

In 2022, a review led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden found catastrophic failures at the trust may have led to the deaths of more than 200 babies, nine mothers and left other infants with life-changing injuries.

Her team examined maternity practices at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust over 20 years and made a series of recommendations.

Mr Jones said the review took note of Ms Ockenden's report, especially the recommendation that the trust should carry out thorough investigations and be open about its findings.

The review was published this week and he said: "We've had some recommendations from the external review which we are actively working our way through."

He also said he believed the reorganisation of services at the two hospitals, moving all emergency care to Shrewsbury, along with specialist women and children's services, with planned care being focused in Telford, would drive further improvements.

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