An Open Letter to Maggie Boyle, Chief Executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Dear Ms Boyle

I write in response to your recent letter of no date. If Neil McKay had written that letter to me nine years ago I would have moved on, albeit with regret. However, Mr McKay chose to respond inadequately on several occasions over nearly three years. I knew there had been a gross mismanagement of my labour and felt the need to fully understand the mechanics of what had gone wrong. I now have some answers. I understand what went wrong and the failings of the midwives that lead to those things going wrong. This is why I feel moved to reply to your wholly inadequate letter of apology. The lack of veridicality is laughable. I sincerely need to know that some lessons have been learnt from my awful experience. Your letter fills me with doubt that those lessons have even been understood, let alone acted upon.

I have learnt that in my labour I was overdosed on Syntocinon infusion. As a result tachysystole became hyperstimulation. In normal circumstances this is not a problem. It is noticed. If a woman is given Syntocinon infusion the baby must have continuous electronic fetal monitoring. In our case the continuous electronic fetal monitoring was neither appropriate nor adequate. My darling son was begging for help. The continuous electronic fetal monitoring was pathological for nearly two hours. Mr Mckay in his letter to me dated 22^nd June 2006 claimed (at paragraph 6 lines 3-4) that 'the baby's heart rate pattern (CTG) print out was of a quality which can be interpreted.' So really the three midwives who reviewed the CTG failed to interpret it correctly. This is what caused my son's brain damage.

Your letter claims that the Trust no longer uses the type of monitoring used during my labour. Does the LGI really no longer rely on midwives, however poorly educated, and CTG machines to manage women in labour?