A silent battle between doctors and midwives at a National Health Service hospital has led to the tragic death of 30 patients, including babies and mothers, over the last decade.
Sixteen suspicious deaths at hospitals run by the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust were ordered to be investigated by health secretary Jeremy Hunt, which eventually prompted the inquiry of an additional 50 "serious" cases between 2004 and 2013, the Sunday Times reported. Now, the victim's families are seeking answers as to why none of those responsible for the 30 deaths have been held accountable.
"If it was any other industry, people would be in jail. Everyone was interested in protecting their job. Patient safety just went out the window. Some action has to be taken," said Carl Hendrickson, who lost his wife, Nittaya, and son, Chester, at Furness General Hospital in 2008.
According to evidence from a government enquiry, vulnerable mothers and babies were put at risk by midwives who were not on speaking terms with doctors at the hospital.
Midwives allegedly began to show reluctance at contacting doctors for help during difficult labors because they were reportedly made to feel irrelevant by doctors, who apparently pushed them aside during procedures, according to Breitbart.
Although six midwives are facing disciplinary hearing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council later this year for their actions, not a single medical professional has lost their job because medical notes containing evidence of poor care for several victims have "gone missing."
"It is ridiculously slow... What about protecting mums and babies? The timescale is a disgrace," James Titcombe, who lost his son in 2008, said.
Several other NHS organizations, including the Care Quality Commission which regulates the NHS, and the parliamentary and health service ombudsmen which is responsible for dealing with complaints from the public, have also been accused of covering up the scandal, according to the report.
Meanwhile, pressure has been mounting for more accountability within the health service following the Mid-Staff's hospital scandal, in which hundreds of patients lost their lives through neglect and substandard care between 2005 and 2009.
Similar problems, and thousands more deaths, were subsequently found at a number of other hospitals across England.
