'No one should have to have congratulations and condolences on the same day'
Doctors missed critical warning signs in the run-up to Thomas Gibson's death on the day of his daughter's birth, as ITV News Correspondent Amy Welch reports
A child taking their first wobbly, tentative steps should be a milestone for any parent.
Harper's dad has missed out not only on this but on meeting his newborn daughter - passing away just hours before her birth.
"That little girl's got to grow up without a dad," said Rebecca Moss, Harper's mum.
"It's just heartbreaking. She should have her dad here."
An inquest has heard Thomas Gibson had two heart scans whilst in hospital with a stomach bug.
Despite this, doctors failed to detect a condition known as "complete heart block". He should have been fitted with a pacemaker. Instead, they sent him home.
On the morning of his partner's C-section when baby Harper was set to enter the world, he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.
"I went over to him and said, 'come on, wake up'. He was in his usual sleeping position and he just didn't move," Rebecca said.
She wants to know why her daughter must now grow up without a dad.
"No one should have to have congratulations and condolences on the same day. It's not right, and more care needs to be taken when people present with symptoms that might be masking something else," she said.
The inquest concluded it was more likely Mr Gibson would have survived if his heart scans had been properly interpreted.
The coroner ordered a Prevention of Future Deaths report, which said Wythenshawe Hospital's own investigation was too narrow and didn't do enough to ensure lessons had been learnt.
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Rebecca said outside the inquest: "The expertise that could have saved Tom's life was just one phone call away.
"Learning this was devastating. It is my view that there is a culture of failing to recognise when specialist guidance is needed at Wythenshawe Hospital."
The hospital has admitted its care fell short of expected standards, and that it has committed to making improvements.
On Friday, Harper turns one. It will be a birthday forever tinged with the sadness of losing the dad she'll never get to meet.
Clinical Negligence Solicitor, Charlotte Moore or CL Medilaw: "The family are satisfied with the conclusion that the coroner has reached, that had the ECGs been interpreted correctly, Tom's tragic death would have been avoided.
"The family are grateful to the coroner for his thorough investigation.
"We remained concerned, however, that the coroner has had to issue a Prevention of Future Deaths report to ensure that other families do not have to go through what Rebecca has had to endure for the last year.
"We hope that the Trust now takes steps to make changes to practices and policies, to save further lives being lost, unnecessarily."
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