Heartbeat data of a premature baby who passed away at just five days old was reportedly sent via WhatsApp, a messaging app, instead of being discussed in person with medical professionals, according to the baby’s parents. They expressed feeling disappointed with the care they received from NHS Borders.
The health board has issued an apology to the family following a review of the case termed as a Significant Adverse Event Review (SAER). Additionally, a complaint lodged with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) regarding the breach of data protection laws has been upheld.
The parents were alarmed to learn that WhatsApp was used to transmit their unborn child’s heart monitoring data. The mother had a challenging pregnancy, marked by recurring bleeding that necessitated numerous visits to Borders General Hospital. Despite this, the couple was assured that there were no serious concerns.
Their son was born prematurely in August 2022 at 31 weeks and sadly passed away five days later.
NHS Borders’ investigation underscored that the consultant should have personally attended to the concerns surrounding the birth. The ICO’s findings also pointed out lapses in data security by the health board and recommended corrective measures.
The baby’s mother, choosing to remain anonymous, described the discovery as deeply upsetting, saying, “We were completely unaware of the consultant who should have been there until we read the SAER report. It has been incredibly distressing to find this out.”
She added, “It’s shocking that such important information was being communicated in this manner.”
Her husband expressed their sense of being let down, stating firmly, “This must not happen to any other family.”
The family has engaged legal experts from Slater and Gordon specializing in medical negligence to examine their case.
In response, NHS Borders reiterated its apologies to the family, emphasizing its commitment to learning from the incident and implementing improvements. This includes developing an action plan to address the ICO’s recommendations and collaborating with Healthcare Improvement Scotland to enhance maternity services.
“We prioritize safety in maternity services and have an active local safety program to ensure that lessons learned lead to improvements across all aspects of our service,” NHS Borders stated.
