Mum whose baby died 40 minutes after birth raises concerns about quality of care at Prince Charles Hospital

A young mother whose baby died 40 minutes after being born has told an inquest she has concerns about the care she received in the hours leading up to the birth.

Tiffany Gillard was under the care of Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil when her baby son Jenson James Francis was born on June 21st 2018, but he died less than an hour later.

At the inquest, which opened on Tuesday at Pontypridd Coroner's Court, a statement was read out on behalf of Tiffany Gillard in which she gave her account of what happened in the days leading up to the birth.

She said she was scheduled to be induced on June 18th 2018, but on arriving at Prince Charles Hospital was told the induction could not go ahead due to a power failure and was booked in two days later.

On June 19th, Ms Gillard's waters broke, so she returned to hospital. But she was later sent home again to see if labour would begin naturally. It didn't, and she returned on June 20th to be induced.

A statement from a senior midwife who had been on duty that night described how the ward was "very busy" and short of one midwife.

At around 9:30pm that night, Ms Gillard described starting to feel shaky, hot and in a lot of pain.

The midwife in charge of Ms Gillard said she had frequently escalated her growing concerns over the CTG scan which was being used to monitor Jenson’s heart rate.

But, the inquest heard, it wasn't until 5:20am that an emergency caesarean section was carried out.

Ms Gillard said she was then informed that she had an infection, and 40 minutes later was told that her son had died.

Ms Gillard's consultant, who was not on duty that night, told the inquest that had Jenson been delivered earlier, he believes he could have survived.

It comes after Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board was placed into special measures following an external review which identified "serious failings".

The inquest continues.