New family liaison service set up in tribute to tragic Kate
A family liaison service has been set up in memory of a baby who died six hours after she was born at a Shropshire hospital.
Kate's Care will work with parents who have lost children unexpectedly. The service will also offer answers to questions parents may have relating to the ambulance service's involvement in their child's care.
It has been set up following talks between West Midlands Ambulance Service officials and Richard Stanton and Rhiannon Davies, whose daughter Kate died in 2009.
Baby Kate was found collapsed after being born with anaemia at Ludlow Hospital in 2009, and died six hours later despite being transferred to Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital.
An independent maternity review found her death was avoidable and criticised Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust for failing to properly investigate the circumstances of the death. The trust's chief executive Simon Wright has apologised to Kate's parents, who live in Ludlow.
Rhiannon said the idea came about after meetings with WMAS boss Anthony Marsh, and she said the family hoped it would be adopted nationally.
Rhiannon said: "We talked to him about the lack of support there was for us after Kate died.
"We fell outside of any service. We explained if there had been someone we could have talked to about what had happened it would have been really helpful.
"The service created was called Kate's Care. It kicks in if the ambulance service is involved in transporting or treating a child who then sadly dies."
Rhiannon added: "Richard and I feel proud that we have helped to create a meaningful legacy in our daughter, Kate's, memory.
"We are so grateful to WMAS for listening to us, engaging with us with compassion, and working on a number of improvements at their trust from direct learning gleaned from Kate's case."
To contact the family liaison service call (01384) 246370.
