Did you know that a simple inexpensive test kit is available to the NHS which could save them millions in childbirth compensation claims ?Following the news that many mothers and their babies are being put at risk by untrained maternity support staff taken on to help busy midwives, it’s hardly any surprise that compensation claims for medical negligence during childbirth are on the up. Claims for clinical negligence are costing the NHS a fortune, with the top 10 largest single claims combined coming in at almost £62 million – at least six of which are pregnancy-, labour- or birth-related.
The Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST) covers claims for incidents that happened on or after the beginning of April, 1995. According to the Health Minister, Rosie Winterton, the top 10 highest value compensation claims made up to the end of last year are as follows:
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1. Failure to diagnose pre-eclampsia (£12,400,000)
2. Failure to perform tests (£8,300,000)
3. Failure to monitor second-stage labour (£6,635,000)
4. Failure/delay in diagnosis (£6,248,845)
5. Failure/delay in responding to an abnormal foetal heart rate (£5,800,000)
6. Failure to respond to birth complications (£5,793,782)
7. Failure/delay in diagnosis (£5, 749,111)
8. Informed consent not correctly obtained (£5,624,976)
9. Delay in diagnosis of foetal distress (£5,620,290)
10. Failure/delay in responding to abnormal foetal heart rate (£5,555,000)
Despite the immense cost to the NHS of such medical claims – not to mention the unimaginable distress that families or individuals making such claims go through – a recent report from the Royal College of Midwives suggests essential maternity services are being increasingly cut back. Out of 102 maternity department heads taking part in the poll, two thirds believed their units were understaffed, with one in five having lost staff during the past 12 months. According to Louise Silverton, Deputy General Secretary of the RCM, the cutbacks present ‘a significant risk of overall care being compromised’.
Rupture risk
Premature rupture of foetal membranes (PROM) is one complication that can happen during pregnancy and accounts for around 10 per cent of all prenatal deaths.
When a woman is about to go into labour, her foetal membranes rupture – in other words, her waters break. But this can happen at any time during pregnancy, and if it happens too soon – that is, before labour is about to start – it can cause infection of the womb and the unborn baby. Worse still, if membranes rupture before 26 weeks, the baby can develop lung problems and deformed limbs.
It goes without saying that the quicker PROM is diagnosed, the better. However, it’s not that straightforward, as amniotic fluid – which is released when foetal membranes rupture – is often mistaken for urine. Given the fact that most midwifes these days are run off their feet, the good news is that there is a quick and easy way to test for PROM.
A new PROM test kit detects PROM by checking for the presence of amniotic fluid in the vagina. This sensitive test looks for a substance called insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1), which is present in high levels in amniotic fluid from early pregnancy onwards. The test can detect tiny amounts of IGFBP-1, so even the smallest of ruptures can be diagnosed.
Another test kit quickly determines whether or not a mum-to-be is going into labour or having a false alarm. Around seven per cent of all babies born in the UK are born prematurely, but it’s not always easy to tell if a pregnant woman is experiencing true labour pains or Braxton Hicks contractions – contractions that are normal throughout pregnancy.
The test checks for phosphorylated insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (pIGFBP-1), levels of which increase as the cervix ‘ripens’ (i.e. becomes ready for labour).
Both tests are incredibly simple to use, and results are ready in minutes. Once a swab has been taken, the secretions are extracted in a special liquid. A dipstick is then placed in the liquid, and after five minutes one or two lines appear in the dipstick’s results window, giving a positive or negative result.
With the kits costing the NHS only £7.50, don't you think it's a small price to pay compared to a compensation claim?
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