NHS trust receives record fine of £800,000 after death of newborn

[itsnotoutthere]

An NHS trust has been fined £800,000 in the highest ever penalty for maternity care after admitting to failings in the care of a woman and her baby, who died minutes after being born.

Wynter Sophia Andrews died on 15 September 2019, 23 minutes after being born by emergency caesarean section, in the arms of her parents, Sarah and Gary, at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

Nottingham university hospitals trust pleaded guilty to two counts relating to failures in the care of mother and child – the first time the trust has ever been criminally prosecuted – at a hearing on Wednesday.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/27/nhs-trust-fined-800k-after-admitting-failings-death-of-newborn-baby-wynter-sophia-andrews-nottingham

 

No doubt 'lessons have been learnt'. Well, until the next time at least. Bottom line, tax payers fined £800,000 for NHS failure.

Edited January 31, 2023 by itsnotoutthere

[pellinore]

On 1/31/2023 at 10:31 AM, itsnotoutthere said:

No doubt 'lessons have been learnt'. Well, until the next time at least. Bottom line, tax payers fined £800,000 for NHS failure.

Who do you think should pay?

Edited February 2, 2023 by pellinore

[itsnotoutthere]

15 minutes ago, pellinore said:

Who do you think should pay?

They could start with the "professional" individuals that allowed this to happen. Then lessons truly would be learnt.

[pellinore]

17 minutes ago, itsnotoutthere said:

They could start with the "professional" individuals that allowed this to happen. Then lessons truly would be learnt.

The law doesn't allow for that. A large company, whether it is in healthcare or construction, for example, is responsible for the actions of its employees.It is known as vicarious liability. It is a good thing.

If a house under construction collapses and destroys your car, you sue the company, not the brickie. The company is more likely to have the money, and also prompts them to ensure safety and training is in place.

It ensures that in healthcare, for example, if something goes wrong like a patient deteriorates during an operation, they dial 999 and get the Ambulance service and the NHS involved- they have to ensure they get the best professional expertise in fast. Things can still go wrong, sadly, and the victims of negligence are due compensation. But the investigations for individual culpability are separate.

Lucy Letby, the nurse accused of killing babies is subject to criminal investigations, but that is separate from any liability her trust has. Which is just as well, as no one has any hope of her paying compensation for anything.