The trust in charge of the Swindon hospital admitted liability for the delayed diagnosis and treatment of early-onset group B Strep (GBS) infection, “leading to catastrophic and lifelong consequences for the child and her family”.
The baby, now 11 years old, was left with life-changing disabilities after healthcare professionals failed to give the child’s mother antibiotics during labour, despite recognised GBS risk factors being present, and a delay in giving them to the child following birth, despite multiple signs of infection.
The settlement, thought to be one of the largest in history, does not come out of the hospital’s own budget.
Here’s what you had to say on the matter.
Shannon Andrews said: “Group B Strep should be a routine check!”
Jayde Harris said: “This is heart wrenching to hear and the saddest part till this day they are still not taking group B strep serious enough!”
Julie Heard said: “Absolutely heartbreaking. Sadly, this hospital never seems to learn from their mistakes, speaking as a family on the receiving end of misdiagnosis, our lives changed, it’s just devastating.”
Derek Rutland said: “This is so so sad, no money can make that kid well again.
“But lack of staff and a hospital that is to small for the number of people it has to serve and as more and more homes are going up in Swindon this sort of thing will 100 per cent happen again and again.
“The hospital needs to be made bigger or a second hospital has to be built and built fast as this hospital is not fit for purpose and was not fit for purpose when it opened years ago.
“It was well smaller than the old hospital and Swindon was well smaller than it is now. You see waiting times of up to eight plus hours and wait for a bed for 12-plus hours.
“I wish all the best to the child and family and hope they all live well and safe life and hope this never happens again.”
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Corry Anne said: “We had this with the RUH in 2023, I had to push and push because I knew my baby wasn’t right!
“Positive GBS in pregnancy and I didn’t get told until me and my baby were up on the ward hours after his birth!
“Red blotches all over him and they were still pushing me to go home! I fought and pushed hard, they eventually did bloods after his jaundice test came back highly positive and told me his infection markers were at 47!
“He ended up having antibiotics and two lumber punctures! He was treated for sepsis.
“I didn’t sue, I just wanted those midwives in charge of our care to be put on an extra training course because I didn’t want this happening to others.”
Karen Symmonds said: “Big problems at this hospital.”
Ron Burberry said: “Very poor hospital.”
Terry Kissinger said: “People voted for the cheapest option for health and education.
“We know austerity devastated the NHS then admin services were privatised. People warned against privatisation but were called ‘woke’.
“People voted to take money from health services to help millionaires. Are those people taking responsibility or are they demanding we all forget what they voted for?”
A person also said: “NHS incompetence costs us millions out of the care budget every year, yet they try and cover up and dodge responsibility at every turn. Every year a new scandal emerges, yet arrogant doctors and managers are never held to account.”