Trust admits care failure after pregnant woman was sent home following baby’s death

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust has admitted a breach of duty in the care of Danielle Brown, saying her daughter Maisie would have survived had Brown not been discharged while suffering from pre-eclampsia. The trust has apologised after Brown was later sent home again, carrying her dead baby, and told to arrange an appointment to give birth. Brown, 31, from North Tyneside, was seven months pregnant in February 2023 when she became unwell.

She had a swollen face, hands and feet, symptoms associated with pre-eclampsia, a potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication. Medical staff also raised concerns about Maisie’s heart rate. According to the BBC, doctors at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital said the baby needed to be delivered by emergency caesarean section and arranged Brown’s transfer to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

At the RVI, however, Brown said a consultant initially told her she would remain in hospital until Maisie was born. Another consultant reviewed her the following day and discharged her on 14 February. The next day, Brown called the maternity assessment unit because she still felt unwell.

She said staff suggested she probably had a stomach bug, but she insisted on being seen and returned to hospital. After waiting 90 minutes for assessment, doctors were unable to find Maisie’s heartbeat and told the couple that their baby had died. Brown said she expected the delivery to take place then.

Instead, she was given information for bereaved parents and told to call to book a slot. The BBC reported that staff instructed her to telephone on Friday morning and arrange a time to return. Brown and her partner, Anthony Miller, then went home, where they faced the distress of knowing their baby was no longer alive while Brown was still pregnant.

Two days later, after 10 hours in labour, Brown gave birth to Maisie. She described the experience as bittersweet and said the family had to pass other parents leaving the hospital with newborn babies. Brown and Miller are now parents to a two-year-old son, Harrison, but said the loss of Maisie continues to affect them.

The couple want hospitals to provide more compassionate support, including an alternative route out for parents leaving after a stillbirth. Brown said no family should be sent home carrying a baby who has died. The trust said aspects of its care fell below expected standards and offered a “heartfelt apology.” Executive director Ian Joy said a detailed review in 2023 led to improvements in urgent assessment for women arriving with unexpected symptoms or suspected complications.

Brown received an undisclosed settlement from the trust. Her solicitor, Faisal Ali of Irwin Mitchell, said the case illustrated the human cost of maternity-care failures and argued that wider problems were leaving mothers and babies at risk. The trust said it had recently been assessed as performing well against national standards, but accepted the specific failings in Brown’s care.