Complaining to my local hospital - my daughter could have died! (long one)

[PurpleLostPrincess]

Just keen to see if anybody has got any experience of complaining to their hospital and if so, what the outcome was?

I had my gorgeous baby girl on 2nd Sept and was kept in for 24hrs because she was 'heavy for gestation' (8lbs at 37 weeks). Her blood sugars were low and she was struggling to feed but they still let me go home the next day. She had done a very small poo in her nappy, about half a teaspoon or so but that was it. The paeditrician checked her over and said all was fine. I pointed out to the discharge nurse that I couldn't find her hole for her bottom (or anus) but she looked and said it was just below the vagina and not to worry...

So, we spent the following few days struggling to get her to feed and she still didn't have a proper poo. She also got more and more jaundiced. The mw said to give her boiled water with a splash of pure orange juice in it to get her going.

By the third day, she looked like she had been tangoed! Another mw arrived in the morning and said that she should pop up to our local hospital to be checked over because of the jaundice. Again, I pointed out that I couldn't find her bottom hole and she said it was hard to assess and asked Basingstoke to have a look.

So, we get up to Basingstoke SCBU (they're lovely in there by the way) and as soon as the consultant looked at DD2, she said we needed to take a trip to Southampton as she doesn't have a hole for her bottom. Needless to say, I was in a state at this point, made worse by the fact that my milk had just come in!

DD2 was then rushed to Southampton in an ambulance whilst on a drip for fluids and antibiotics to prevent hepb. The consultant there took one look at her and said she needed surgery URGENTLY and she had an emergency colostomy and now has a stoma bag. We stayed in for 5 days in total and my DH managed somehow to look after DS and DD1 while my Mum turned down jobs to be with me in Southampton.

(the condition is called an 'ano-rectal anomaly' and the consultant still isn't sure where that first little bit of poo came from because she hasn't got a fistula. She also has a heart condition that currently doens't need to be treated but we've got a few more operations ahead of us).

Everybody has asked why this problem wasn't identified beforehand. Apparently, identifying that there is an anus is one of the fundamental parts of midwifery and this shouldn't have gone un-noticed. At the end of the day, had I not pointed it out to the mw AGAIN, she would have died. She was so ill and it was a traumatic time for all of us.

So, I'm looking to complain but I can't decide if we should put the complaint in with the aim of getting compensation or alternatively to simply get them to improve their training on this. The mw that delivered DD2 was pretty much useless tbh and I've been told it is ultimately her responsibility to check these things.

Thing is, its not their fault that she has this condition but if they had identified it at birth, she wouldn't have got so ill and we wouldn't have had to go through it all in this way.

Phew, didn't realise how long this would be - sorry! There's so much more to it but thats the basics really - I do feel better now I've had a rant at least!

So, your thoughts would be appreciated, thanks in advance...

PLP xx

bloody hell!

You and your dd have been through a lot!

I have no exp but do feel you are justified to complain about this.

An anomaly as basic as that should have been ppicked up at birth.

Agree that the mw needs to be trained so it doesn't happen again.

The place you had your dd should have a complaints procedure you can follow.
In the meantime I would write everything down that you remember i the view to writing a vry long letter.

Glad your dd is better now,hope she continues to improve.

How awful for you.

This resonates to me as DH's brother had the same thing when he was born except I think the blockage was slightly inside. Poo couldn't come out anyway. Apprently it took days of mil making a fuss before one midwife said bf babies don't get constipated and insisted consultants had a look. They said he probably would have died very soon if it had not been discovered.

I don't know if they complained, but I know they actually stayed friends with that midwife for years. When all of mine were born, she was very anxious to check they were pooing and kept ringing me to make sure. I don't know if she thought it was hereditary.

I think there should at least be an investigation to see why this wasn't checked to avoid it happening again.

checking over the baby at birth and checking thre is an anus is absolutely standard.

did the paed check her bottom, or the nurse?

if a MW, nurse & paed missed it, that is even more shocking..

i would certainly complain, esp as the best advice you were given was boiled water and orange juice

certainly some retraining is needed

if an complaint is made, there will be an incident report and it will go to head of midwifery and risk people at the hospital

if these things are not pointed out and complained about, it could happen again

i am so glad your daugter is ok, how absolutely terrifying .

PLP - I saw your message on the Down's thread. You have been through the mill. Your hospital should have a PALS service (patient liasion) and they would be a good place to start. Also the Head of Maternity Services.

I had an issue with my local who failed to spot her congestive heart failure despite several hospial admissions. We didn't take forward an official complaint but did have some discussion with her paed as to what went wrong and what could be done in future.

I post on the Heartline message board here I'm sure there is someone there whose child has imperforate anus (is that the term?) and heart problems. Maybe I see you over there

Absolutely appalling. Do contact PALS or the head of midwifery direct. And look up Action for Victims of Medical Accidents - think now has a new name but if you search on that name you should find a way to it. Support group for people who have been mistreated by health professionals.

I would also reccomed an letter to PALs and the Head of Midwifery. You may want to contact AIMS who will help you complie your letter. Sorry to hear you had such an awful time

Thanks saggarmakersbottomknocker, I'm in tears that you even know what the term is as most people have never heard of it! Really touched that you've given me that link, I'll have a look later (DD2 is stirring for a feed!). How is DD now?

lulu, yes, you're right - the mw, the paed AND the discharge nurse all missed it, despite me actually pointing it out!!! When the registrar at S'ton was talking with us, she was very professional and said that they would be giving very strong feedback to B'stoke at a very high level!

I'm a bit confused as to where to start though - Head of Midwifery, Hosp complaints procedure, PALs, or a solicitor... or all of them? I had a look at the hosp website and it says: "NOTE: If you are taking legal action then your complaint can not be investigated through the NHS Complaints procedure." which is also confusing.

MrsCarrot, sounds like DH's brother is well now (?) but sorry your mil had to go through that too

Gotta dash, she reeeeaallly wants fed now!! I'll pop back later on...

I don't think it matters what you are aimimg for - complain because if you don't, it might happen to someone else.

Personally, I would think long and hard about seeking compensation. I had a potential case and I decided not to go that route because I didn't need the additional stress, and because the NHS is so cash-strapped anyway, I didn't want to make it worse just to make a point. Depends what you need the compensation for.

Hi so sorry to haer what yo , family and dd have been through , good job you kept persevering.

I ad a bad experience surrounding the birth of dd, and she has been left with facial scarring, I wrote to the Directoe of obstetrics and gynaecology and cc the letter to director of midwifery and hospiatl chairman. This ensures someone responds.

I was invited to a meeting with drs and midwives involved in delivery as well as directors where they had to explain what happened how and how practice was changed. I recieved written confirmation of responsibility for the injury and undertajking to refer on to any specialities needed.

This letter means that it can be my dd choice as to whether she wishes to seek compensation up to her 25th birthday

HTH you decide, but I would definately write

Hi PLP. When DH was taken to hospital there were several dreadful shortfalls in his care.

1. The bed guard hadn't been raised on his injured side, and this resulted in his badly injured arm falling and left dangling over the side of the bed

2. He wasn't given adequate pain relief on admission to hospital - although they suspected a nerve injury, the doctor had to make a phonecall to seek advice, but delayed doing this for hours, my DAD had to kick up a fuss, DH was writhing in AGONY

3. On the ward, nurses didn't believe him when he told them his morphine pump wasn't working, he was left crying - DH NEVER cries.

4. Urine bottles left on his food tray, no help offered to enable him to eat, food just left, then removed etc etc, even though they suspected his (good arm) was fractured

5. Had to make several requests for an xray, took days.

6. He was in hypovolaemic shock, showing typical symptoms (I KNOW because of my first aid training background) which I pointed out to nurses - it wasn't until he was transferred to oxford that he was given a blood transfusion..... could he have died from internal bleeding etc etc...

7. There was no urgency to transfer him to Oxford for specialist Neuro surgery. Had I not advocated VERY strongly on his behalf, things could have been a LOT worse for him. According to Neurosurgeon in Oxford it was of the utmost urgency as there is a very small window of opportunity for operating on a Brachial Plexus Injury.

8)There were many many more...

We contacted our solicitor and they explained that in order for the hospital to investigate we had to agree that we were not going to sue. If we did sue, it would have been a lengthy procedure and the hospital would have stonewalled us. Before making this decision we explained our grounds for complaint to our solicitor, and they explained that although the care he received resulted in him experiencing more pain and distress than he should have it didn't result in any (additional) long term damage, therefore there wouldn't be any point suing. We wrote a lengthy letter to the head of the hospital trust and cc'd it to our local MP. A thorough investigation was carried out and we received a long letter apologising for the shortcomings in his care.

I hope that in some way helps you with your situation with Cerys PLP. Hope you're both doing well. Have been thinking of you. hugs x x

checking the anus is open is one of the standard checks that should be done on ALL babies within 24hrs of birth.

Appalling it was missed with such awful consequences for your DD, I would definitely complain.

I am shocked that both the mw and the paed missed this, and think you definitely have grounds for complaint.

The mw who attends the delivery should do a preliminary top-to-toe check of the baby within a couple of hours of the birth, and checking for a patent anus is one of the most important aspects of this examination. With the next 24 hours, the paed or a suitably-trained mw should do a more thorough exam. There's no excuse for this not being picked up from the start. 'Just below the vagina'? Sounds like they need some basic first-year anatomy and physiology training...

Definitely contact Head of Midwifery and I'd include the Head of Paediatrics/Paediatric Consultant too, imo.

I have worked in the NHS for 30 years. I absolutely despair of the current training, staffing and management. There are some small pockets of excellence, but an awful lot of incompetence. I am appalled at what I have read here, but sadly, not surprised.

PurpleLostPrincess - I hope your dd makes a good recovery.

I was told I should sue the hospital after my son's birth as they completely messed up the c-section operation and I had to have it redone. I decided not too as they saved my baby, a scar is just a scar.

You have to do what matters to you and I personally think a child matters more than money.

By all means help the hospital learn from this but things to do with money make me uncomfortable.

BTW With my 3rd child I was delivered by a student who had to just assist at mine and then was fully qualified. After DS2 was born the first thing I heard her say was "yes, he has a bottom." I thought it was a funny/strange thing to say but having read your sad story I am glad she did!

I also didn't want to take money from the NHS which doesn't have enough anyway.

PLP. So glad you pushed to get this sorted for your poor dd.

How is she now. Is she able to surgery to correct this?

Congratulations on your gorgeous little girl too.

Wow, thank you all for your responses! Sorry I disappeared but I've had a stinking cold all weekend

Hopey, I had no idea you had all that to cope with on top of DH's accident/injuries! So glad you pushed for what you believe in xx

NAB, sorry you had such a bad experience with your c-section.

You have all pointed out my exact dilemma - whether or not to go for compensation. I guess I'm the only one who can decide but my hormones are all over the place! One minute, I want to take them for every penny I can as they should pay for their mistake - they'll certainly make sure it doesn't happen again if it has come at a cost of some sort to them because at present, it hasn't 'cost' them anything iykwim. Then, the next minute, I think that I should just put in a simple complaint so they can make sure nobody else goes through what we went through. I'm not convinced the latter will have much impact though...

To be honest, if we went down the route of compensation, I'd put it away for Cerys's future rather than for us which is only right imo.

Megglevampire - thank you! Yes, she is slowly gaining weight now and will have an operation called an 'anoplasty' in about five weeks time to build her a bottom. She'll then have the stoma bag taken off about 6-8 weeks after that so Christmas will be fun! I never thought I'd want a pooey nappy for Christmas LOL! She's a very good baby, especially considering all that she has been through and still goes through. We've had quite a few emergency bag changes due to leakages but we're learning to cope with them. I worry more about her heart condition but they have said to keep an eye on her and we've got more appointments lined up. I think they have carried out all their investigations now - I hope so anyway as they really tire her out! I'm so proud of her, she's a little trooper! Not many babies sleep through the night at 5 weeks old!!

@PurpleLostPrincess I know this thread is 12 years old. But the exact same thing has just happened to my son. Born with a fistula, missed by midwifes, healthcare assistants and Pediatrics doctors. Asked them to look at his bum because it didn’t look right. Told to “stop worrying and enjoy my new baby because his bum looked fine”... baby became very ill, needed surgery and is still suffering complications 3 months on. I just wondered if you ever made a complaint and if you got anywhere because I’m thinking of doing the same.