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Whitby mum's legal claim for daughter
A WHITBY mum is pursuing legal action against Scarborough Hospital for clinical negligence after her baby was born with a brain injury.
When Sienna Haran was born, her heart stopped beating for 20 minutes after her mum Sara suffered complications during labour in Scarborough Hospital.
Miss Haran, of Kirkham Road, believes the standard of care she and her baby received during labour was not of the required standard and is in the process of making a legal claim against Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust.
Doctors told the young mum, Sienna, who is now two-years-old, had just a 5% chance of survival and she was christened because it was feared she could die.
Sienna was admitted to intensive care at Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where she was put on a ventilator for three days.
But two years on, she has amazed medical professionals and is able to crawl although she is not eating normally and the family is playing a waiting game as there is a chance she might have cerebral palsy, although this has not yet been diagnosed.
Miss Haran said: "She is doing more than the doctors ever expected.
"She is my little miracle but it's a miracle she's still alive."
The 23-year-old was six days overdue on 29 November 2008 when she noticed she had not felt the baby move much and went to Whitby Hospital where they found there was a drop in Sienna's heartbeat.
She was sent to Scarborough Hospital where her waters were broken.
She said: "They seemed concerned saying the baby was not happy but they decided to see how well the baby would do on her own.
"I felt scared and unsure what was going to happen.
"Just after 7.15pm I was told that if they started a drug to induce labour and the baby did not like it, there were not enough members of staff on duty to do an emergency Caesarean section if one was needed.
"I couldn't understand why they just couldn't get on and do it but they decided to wait until the night staff came on duty at 8pm.
"Staff seemed rushed off their feet and were coming in and out of the room all the time."
Around half an hour later Sienna's heart rate dropped and Miss Haran was taken into theatre and given an emergency Caesarean.
Doctors later diagnosed Sienna as suffering from a brain injury.
Miss Haran is also unhappy at the level of care Sienna has been receiving particularly with regards to delays in her getting physiotherapy and last October John Blackie, vice chairman of North Yorkshire County Council's Scrutiny of Health Committee, was asked to step in.
A letter was sent on his behalf to the trust's chief executive Richard Sunley seeking assurances that Sienna was receiving the best possible care.
"I feel abandoned by the NHS," Miss Haran added. "There's just not the care there."
A spokesman for Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust said: "We have carried out a full internal investigation regarding this family's concerns and have met with them to discuss these.
"This matter is extremely complex and, as it is now in the hands of solicitors, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this stage."
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Weather for Whitby
Saturday 19 May 2012
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