University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust has admitted to a number of failings which subsequently led to the death of a baby, Delilah Hubbard, who was aged just 2 days old.

Delilah was born at the Leicester Royal Infirmary on 9 March 2015. Her mother, Ms Clara Bassford, had been classed as having a high-risk pregnancy as her two previous children were born premature. She also suffers from ulcerative colitis, a long-term condition, where the colon and rectum become inflamed, which can lead to complications during pregnancy.

After her waters broke, during a routine visit to Leicester General Hospital, Ms Bassford  was admitted and kept in for monitoring. Overnight, Ms Bassford had a small bleed and noticed that her baby was not moving.  The midwives were made aware of this yet Ms Bassford was not examined instantly.

Eventually, when baby Delilah’s heart rate was monitored, the heart monitor was not positioned correctly. This, in turn, meant that Delilah’s heart rate was not monitored correctly. Once the monitor was adjusted, it was apparent that Delilah was in distress.

A further few hours passed before Delilah was delivered. Delilah only lived for 2 days.

It has since been admitted by the trust that, had Ms Bassford undergone a caesarean section sooner, Delilah would have survived.  However, the trust  allege that it is likely Delilah would have had significant disabilities.

An inquest into Delilah’s death will be heard in April 2016.

Moosa-Duke Solicitors is hopeful that the inquest into Delilah’s death will help highlight improvements that can be made in the trust’s working practices in the hope that deaths, such as that of Delilah, can be avoided in the future.

If you would like to enquire about a potential claim or require representation at an inquest, please contact us on 0116 254 7456 or by email on enquiries@moosaduke.com.