Woman receives £575,000 payout after ‘rushed’ birth left her with stoma and post-traumatic stress disorder | UK News

Amy Stead suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and was in pain for a year after the birth of her son in 2019.

A Wrexham mother has been awarded more than half a million pounds in compensation for injuries she suffered during childbirth.

Maternity services account for more negligence claims and payments than any other hospital department, and campaigners say this reflects underfunding and overworked staff.

It took Amy Stead, 37, almost three years to get pregnant, but the birth left her with injuries that will last a lifetime.

During her delivery in 2019, she suffered a tear so severe it left her with a permanent stoma. What’s worse, it was not detected in time.

“It turned out she had a hole between her vagina and rectum, but they had missed it completely,” Mrs Stead said.

He said his obstetrician was in “such a hurry to leave” that he didn’t notice the injury.

He added: “If he had taken more time and cared about what he was doing… he might have seen it and put me to sleep and fixed it properly.”

Mrs Stead suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and was in pain for a year after the birth of her son.

“I felt like all the joy of having my first baby was taken away from me,” she said.

He decided to sue his hospital, an incredibly difficult decision since it was where he worked. After five years of litigation, he has now been awarded £575,000 in compensation.

England figures for 2022/2023 show that maternity services accounted for 13% of clinical negligence claims, more than any other department.

Last year the NHS spent £1.1bn on maternity negligence payments. To put this in context, the budget for maternity services in England is £3 billion.

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Trial attorneys say damages are often high due to the physical and psychological impact of injuries.

Ruth Powell, head of clinical negligence at law firm Hugh James, says litigation is “gruelling” for people, with a “really high standard” for proving a claim.

Many mothers never seek legal advice.

“For white, middle-class women who have the confidence and experience to challenge things, it’s a lot easier,” Ms. Powell said.

“There are a large number of women, maybe English is not their first language… they don’t talk to anyone about it.”

Activists are calling for change.

Birth Trauma Association president Rachael McGrath was awarded damages after the birth of her twins.

She blames “massive underfunding and understaffing issues” for the high levels of litigation.

“Why is it easier to pay for maternity litigation than to invest from the bottom up?” Mrs. McGrath asked.

“We’re seeing staff, a workforce, that is compassion fatigued because they’re not being adequately supported in their roles and that’s creating trauma and an unsafe system.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring all women receive safe and compassionate care from maternity services and have made progress in improving outcomes.

“We are determined to further improve maternity services. That is why it is a priority in our Women’s Health Strategy 2024.“

Stead is relieved that her litigation is over and hopes that sharing her story will help other mothers suffering from birth trauma.

“No amount of money can change that or improve it, but it certainly helps,” he said.

“But you shouldn’t have to go through that to have children, it’s not normal.”