Blamed For Baby Deaths Staff Care Cases Pick Priority in the Media

In Scotland 's hospitals alone, a shocking 20 infants a year die as a result of actions from their hospital staff. This number is one-third of all unexplained infant deaths. Often, the fetal heartbeat, even while being monitored, is not picked up on as being irregular, and the infant dies.

In a disturbing report released recently, a shockingly high number of babies die or have brain damage in Scotland 's maternity wards. Blamed for baby deaths staff care cases pick up much criticism in the inquiry made into 67 cases in 2005. From the 67 cases investigated, 20 were said to have had "major sub-optimal care" by the hospital staff which, "contributed significantly" to the death or complication of these babies. In 17 cases, it was found that even routine heart monitorings that were being done, weren't, in fact monitored correctly, and led directly to the death or ill-health of the infants.

In fact there are a reported 30% of pregnancy or birth cases that received sub-optimal care. This is a very scary prospect for most would-be mothers, even though in Scotland , almost all women have one-to-one mid-wife care.

A spokesman for the Government of Scotland said that, "We are aware of this report. When sub-optimal care was identified, we have learnt from these events and ensured progress has been made."