
Leeds hospitals newborn death rates reflect experience of mother represented by Leigh Day
A mother whose baby suffered catastrophic brain damage during birth at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says her experience reflects subsequent reports of a high number of neonatal deaths in Leeds.
Posted on 20 January 2025
The BBC said it found the deaths of at least 56 babies, and two mothers at Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTH) NHS Trust in the last five years, may have been prevented.
Leigh Day medical negligence team represents a mother whose child needs round-the-clock care following a failure to review them properly during a recent labour. The baby nearly died after their heart rate plummeted during their mother’s labour, but it wasn’t noticed because of a failure to monitor with a CTG.
If there had been immediate intervention by an obstetrician, the baby could have been delivered unharmed. Instead they suffered the most severe of birth injuries.
Their mother and her lawyers at Leigh Day say the BBC report is a painful illustration of the poor care she received.
The BBC report quoted two whistleblowers who believe the two maternity units at LTH are “unsafe”. They are rated “good” by England’s healthcare watchdog.
Journalists also obtained data from the trust through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, which they say showed the potentially preventable deaths.
The request reportedly revealed at least 56 cases from January 2019 to July 2024, made up of 27 stillbirths and 29 neonatal deaths - which is a death within 28 days after birth.
The BBC also shared separate data, showing Leeds has the highest neonatal mortality rate in the UK.
LTH is reported as saying the vast majority of births at Leeds were safe, and deaths of mothers and babies were fortunately very rare, adding that as a specialist centre, Leeds cares for a higher volume of babies with complex conditions.
Maternity care at hospitals in Leeds has been a cause for concern for medical negligence lawyers at Leigh Day who say those affected deserve answers.
The Leigh Day client, whose anonymity has been ordered by the High Court, said:
“I am absolutely devastated to read the news about maternity care at the Leeds Trusts relating to the deaths of 56 babies and two mothers. I suffered the most appalling maternity care at a Leeds Trust which has resulted in my child suffering a severe brain injury, which means they are seriously disabled and will require 24 hour care for the rest of their life.
“It distresses me to think that even after what happened to me and my baby that there are headlines in the news like this, and that maternity care does not seem to be improving; there are still real concerns about the safety of mothers and their babies in Leeds maternity units.
“Whilst the Trust has made an admission of liability in my case, me and my family live every day with this tragedy and the consequences of the poor maternity care that was given to me and my baby.”
The client is represented by Leigh Day's head of medical negligence Suzanne White.
Leigh Day solicitor Matthew Westlake is based at Leigh Day’s offices in Leeds city centre. He said:
“The BBC report around neonatal deaths at Leeds hospitals makes for very sobering reading but it is sadly a clear reflection of the stories we hear too often about maternity care across the country.
“Every neonatal death is a tragedy and devastating for the families involved.
"Where these awful incidents occur, it is crucial that thorough and transparent investigations are undertaken, and that lessons are learned.”
If you have concerns about the maternity care you have received, contact Leigh Day medical negligence team.