Couple compensated after death of new-born baby

Jan 29 2010 by Tom Mullen, The Journal

A SERIES of medical mistakes led to the death of a new-born baby.

Lynn and Ian Bentong’s longed-for child stood no chance because of the devastating sequence of medical mistakes for which health chiefs accepted responsibility and paid £65,000 in compensation.

Medical blunders made by Northumbria Healthcare Trust, who admitted responsibility for the death of the couple’s baby daughter Robyn, included doctors failing to look at Lynn’s medical notes from her previous pregnancy, which would have revealed past problems during labour.

And despite asking for a Caesarean section, doctors ignored the request and Lynn’s concerns until it became an emergency.

The couple were also not informed their daughter had stopped breathing and was left brain damaged after her birth.

After the mistakes nearly four years ago, the couple took Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust to court, who admitted responsibility and have now paid out the five-figure settlement.

Lynn, 39, said: “It was terrible. We came home to a pram and a cot and congratulation cards. Within a week these were replaced with sympathy cards all round the house.”

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s chief executive Jim Mackey said: “Our sincere apologies go to Mr and Mrs Bentong for their devastating loss. Since this tragedy occurred we have improved our procedures to try to prevent incidents like this happening again.”