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Inquiry finds silenced monitor alarm preceded stillbirth at Middlesbrough hospital

An independent inquiry found a heart monitor's paper-jam alarm was set to silent before Bethany Sowerby's baby Hattie was stillborn at James Cook University Hospital in May 2023. The trust offered condolences but said it could not comment further as lawyers are involved.

2 outlets · 2L · 0C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Metro
Image: Daily Mirror

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The story, neutrally told

Left · 2An independent inquiry by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) found that a monitoring machine's alarm for a paper jam was set to silent, and staff did not notice the problem before a baby was stillborn at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. Left · 2Bethany Sowerby, 32, from Redcar, North Yorkshire, went to the hospital's maternity triage unit on the night of 15 May 2023 after becoming worried about her unborn baby Hattie's movements. Left · 1An initial assessment found the baby's heartbeat to be normal, and Sowerby was then connected to a CTG monitor, which records a baby's heart rate; a midwife left to care for other patients.

Left · 2About half an hour later Sowerby noticed the machine had jammed and alerted staff, who found Hattie's heart rate below the normal range; an ultrasound scan showed it had dramatically slowed and an emergency C-section was needed. Left · 2A second scan confirmed Hattie's heart had stopped, and she was pronounced dead at 9.43pm on 16 May 2023; a post-mortem found she had been deprived of oxygen before her death. Left · 2HSIB said a re-print of the trace after the jam showed Hattie's heart rate to be pathological, but this was not recognised before she died, and concluded that failing to recognise the reading was likely to have contributed to the outcome.

Left · 1Sowerby has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and is having therapy and taking medication. Speaking during Baby Loss Awareness Week (9 to 15 October), Sowerby said they wanted changes to be made to help prevent another family suffering the same. Left · 1Katy Daws, a medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Sowerby, called the report's findings "deeply concerning", said they identify a number of issues, and said it is vital that lessons are learned to improve maternity safety. Left · 2A spokesperson for South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust offered condolences but said the matter is in the hands of the parties' lawyers and the trust could not comment further.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left2 outlets

Framing
Both outlets tell the story as a personal tragedy, led by the mother's account and the inquiry's finding about the silenced alarm, with the trust's brief statement at the end.
Emphasis
Sowerby's grief, PTSD and quotes; the lawyer's call for lessons to be learned; Baby Loss Awareness Week.
Leaves out or plays down
Neither gives details of the HSIB report's other findings or any recommendations, beyond the lawyer's remark that it identifies a number of issues. The trust gave no response on the findings.
Charged language
“Tragic mum”“heartbroken mum”
For example
“Tragic mum has stillborn baby after heart-rate monitoring machine was switched to silent” — Daily Mirror
“Baby dies after heart monitor suffers paper jam” — Metro

Centre0 outlets

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Right0 outlets

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