Dad's frustration over stillbirth report delay

A couple whose son was stillborn have criticised health bosses for taking a year and a half to release a report about stillbirth rates in the Black Country.

Thomas and Ewa Hender say they asked the Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) to release details in April, when they first became aware of the report.

It was actually completed 18 months ago, but it has only recently been released in full - a "worrying" delay, Mr Hender said.

The report revealed that neonatal deaths and stillbirths across the Black Country have been rising since 2020, with stillbirths rising at a more significant rate. The ICB said the report made recommendations, and progress in maternity care would be monitored.

Mr Hender said: "I think it's worrying that a report regarding perinatal mortality doesn't seem to be very high on the priority list of the ICB if it's taken 18 months to release from completion."

His son Aubrey was stillborn at the former City Hospital in Birmingham in 2022.

The Henders said they raised health concerns during the pregnancy, and they believe there were problems with Aubrey's care.

The couple are now proud parents to a two-year-old and a three-month-old, the younger of whom has the middle name Aubrey.

The report looked at all four NHS hospital trusts in the Black Country – Sandwell and West Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall, and Dudley. The areas are among the most deprived in the country.

It concentrated on six months from March to September 2023 and found there were 51 stillbirths reported. The review looked at 40 of them.

It found 78% of the mums were from deprived areas. In addition, 70% were from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds, with more than half - 50.5% - of a south Asian ethnicity.

Fourteen of the women did not speak English as their first language and, the report recorded, interpreting was not used consistently in seven of those cases.

Mr Hender said he felt that "yet again it points to the fact that families from deprived areas and of minority backgrounds are disproportionately affected by poor maternity care. "

But he said the issue also affected people more widely.

"Given the mortality rates, we know that there must be other families out there who like us feel that children's deaths were preventable," he said.

Sally Roberts, chief nursing officer and deputy chief executive officer for NHS Black Country ICB said: "Every stillbirth is a devastating loss, our thoughts are with the families who have experienced such unimaginable grief."

She added: "The report and recommendations have been through robust governance arrangements and shared with maternity units across the Black Country. Those maternity units are now taking action to implement the recommendations and ensure meaningful learning takes place.

"The ICB will continue to monitor progress through the Local Maternity and Neonatal System arrangements in place."

Maternity services moved from City Hospital to the new Midland Metropolitan University Hospital last November.

It is part of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust which is among 14 currently being scrutinised in a rapid review of maternity services across England.

Mel Roberts, chief nursing officer and deputy chief executive officer for the trust said: "We will continue to work closely with the ICB, our maternity teams, and service-user representatives to implement improvements and to reduce the risk of stillbirth across our communities.

"Most importantly, we remain committed to listening to parents and families, ensuring their experiences drive the changes needed to provide the safest possible care for every pregnancy."

The Henders said they would like to see a full statutory public inquiry on maternity services across the country.