Bereaved mum 'devastated' SaTH no longer included in maternity review
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has been dropped from the review
A bereaved mother has told us she is 'devastated' the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has been dropped from a review into maternity services, after her daughter died an avoidable death.
The government review was set to look at maternity services at 14 trusts across England in what they called a 'rapid' review.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust will no longer be involved. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has also been removed.
The reason for SaTH being dropped from the review, is because of an ongoing investigation by West Mercia Police called Operation Lincoln.
Rhiannon Davies lost her daughter Kate in 2009, in what was later deemed an 'avoidable death'.
She has been campaigning for a thorough review since then, and says she is 'devastated' the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust will no longer be held accountable:
"Nothing matters more to us than ensuring learning is taken forward. We believe that can be done entirely parallel and separate to Operation Lincoln," she said.
Rhiannon told us the prospect of a review like this kept her going after her daughter's death:
"You are barely alive because of the weight of the pain you are living through. Once our focus changed to trying to get positive change for others, it all felt less burdensome.
"It felt like a positive legacy for Kate," she said.
Initially, Rhiannon was told she would no longer be involved in the review, seeing as SaTH was dropped from the investigation.
She has since been reassured she will still be able to be a part of the review. Rhiannon told us it is vital she gets to use her voice to advocate for Kate:
"We are individual campaigners who's hard work has pushed for this, despite our grief," she said.
We have contacted Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust for comment.