'My wife died in childbirth but wasn't told she'd been given labour drug overdose'

The article discusses the need for improvements in patient safety and care at maternity units in Scotland, particularly with regards to the investigation of baby deaths. The Scottish government has announced plans to strengthen safety regulations and provide more funding to NHS boards to improve care.

The article mentions several specific cases of baby deaths that were caused by poor care or neglect, including the death of three-day-old Mason Scott McLean, who died from feeding issues and sepsis after being in the hospital for six hours. The investigation into his death found that staff had failed to recognize how sick he was due to incomplete records and missed tests.

The article also quotes Dr Helen Mactier, a retired consultant neonatologist, who says that families affected by poor maternity care are looking for an apology and an "open and honest" account of what happened. She believes that improvements are needed in the way baby deaths are investigated, particularly with regards to ensuring that staff listen to patients and take action to prevent mistakes.

The article concludes that while Scotland has made progress in reducing infant mortality, neonatal deaths, and stillbirths in recent years, more work needs to be done to improve patient safety and care at maternity units.

Scotland's maternity units are a mess ! Need better training for staff & more funding ASAP . Can't let innocent babies suffer like Mason did . Families deserve truth & apology, not just lip service .

the scottish government is trying to make things better but we gotta ask ourselves why are they only now doing this after so many tragic cases... it's like we're all waiting for someone else to fix our own problems . what if these staff members didn't realize how bad mason was? were they just too overwhelmed or was there something more systemic going on? anyway, i think dr mactier is onto something with the need for open and honest accounts... it's not just about apologizing but also about learning from our mistakes so we can do better in the future .

the scottish gov is finally takin notice about the poor care at maternity units . these cases of baby deaths are just heartbreaking, especially when they could've been preventd with proper care & attention . it's not like they're ignoring the issue or somethin, but more like they're finally realizin the need for change . i'm glad dr mactier is speakin out about the importance of investigatin these cases properly & makin sure staff listen to patients & take action . still, 6 hours in hospital for a 3-day-old baby? that's just unacceptable .Scotland needs to get its act together when it comes to lookin after new lives

I'm so worried about those poor babies and their families... it's just heartbreaking to think about a 3-day-old newborn being left in the hospital for six hours with feeding issues and sepsis. That's just not right! The fact that staff missed some crucial tests and didn't even notice how sick Mason was because of incomplete records is just unacceptable. It's like, how can you be a doctor and still miss those signs?

And yeah, I totally get what Dr Helen Mactier is saying - families need answers and they deserve an apology for the suffering their little ones went through. And it's not just about apologizing, it's about making sure these kinds of mistakes don't happen again in the first place. The Scottish government needs to step up and provide more funding to NHS boards so they can improve care and make sure staff are trained properly.

I mean, I know Scotland has made progress in reducing infant mortality and all that, but it's not good enough! We need to do better, especially when it comes to protecting our most vulnerable babies.

I feel so sorry for the families of those poor babies . It's just not right that they're having to go through such pain and trauma due to hospital mistakes. We need to make sure that our hospitals are doing everything they can to prevent these tragedies from happening in the first place . I think it's great that the government is stepping in with more funding and safety regulations, but we also need to hold our own healthcare workers accountable for their actions . Those families deserve answers and apologies, and we should be pushing for transparency in investigations too .

I think it's super concerning when babies die due to hospital mistakes . It's just not right that staff missed the signs with Mason Scott McLean, poor little guy didn't deserve to suffer like that. I totally get where Dr Mactier is coming from, families need answers and a bit of closure too. Investigating baby deaths has to be done properly, no room for errors or negligence. Scotland's made progress in reducing infant mortality rates, but we can't just sit back on our laurels. We need to keep pushing for better care and more funding . I'm all for strengthening safety regulations and making sure staff are held accountable when mistakes happen.

Honestly gotta say I'm surprised they're only now tackling this . I mean, these cases are horrific and it's clear that some hospitals are just not getting it right when it comes to caring for newborns. It's like they expect the families of those little ones to just... forgive & forget? No way! They deserve answers, accountability & closure!

I'm so glad the Scottish government is taking steps to fix these maternity unit issues . It's absolutely heartbreaking to hear about those babies who died due to neglect or poor care . We need to make sure that our healthcare system prioritizes patient safety and provides transparent, honest investigations into tragic incidents.

I'm all for increased funding and stricter regulations, but we also need to listen to the families affected by these deaths . Dr Helen Mactier is right – an apology and a clear explanation of what went wrong would go a long way in healing those wounds . We can't just rely on numbers and stats to measure success; we need to put people first .

It's also concerning that even with the progress made, more work needs to be done . I'm hoping these new initiatives will lead to tangible changes and a reduction in baby deaths .

The Scottish government's announcement on strengthening safety regulations is a step in the right direction, but it's not just about implementing new rules, it's also about creating a culture of transparency and accountability within maternity units . We need to ensure that investigations into baby deaths are thorough and unbiased, involving multidisciplinary teams with a focus on learning from mistakes rather than just blame-shifting .

It's disheartening to hear about cases like Mason Scott McLean's, where poor care led to tragic consequences . The need for more funding to improve care is clear, but it's also essential to prioritize staff training and education on recognizing early signs of distress in newborns .

Dr Helen Mactier's call for an "open and honest" account of what happened is a crucial step towards healing families affected by poor maternity care . Apologies and explanations are just the first step; we need to create a system where staff feel empowered to speak up and take responsibility when mistakes happen . Until then, progress in reducing infant mortality rates will be hindered by a lack of trust and accountability

I think it's super concerning when cases like Mason Scott McLean's happen . I mean, a 6-hour stay is way too long for a baby to be stuck in the hospital, especially if they're not feeling well. And incomplete records? That's just a recipe for disaster . Dr Helen Mactier makes some really good points about families needing answers and apologies from hospitals when things go wrong. I think it's awesome that Scotland is trying to strengthen safety regulations, but we need to see some real change happen ASAP . It's not just about numbers and stats – it's about making sure our babies are safe and loved in those maternity units .

Need to get more transparency when it comes to these investigations . These families are going through hell, and they need answers ASAP . Can't just give them a pat on the back and say "we're looking into it" - they need to know what happened and how it's gonna be prevented in the future .

so i was reading about this really sad news about babies dying in hospital in scotland and it just makes me feel so angry that these things happen because of mistakes by the staff. like, how can they not recognize when a baby is sick? and now they're trying to make changes and improve things but it's just not good enough for families who have lost their little ones . i think what dr mactier said about needing an apology and truth from the hospital is so true . my heart goes out to all those families going through this

I'm seeing a lot of parents speaking out about the lack of accountability in these cases... it's like they're treated as an afterthought . And can we talk about how incomplete records are basically an automatic get-out-of-jail-free card? It's just not good enough, you know? I mean, my aunt had a baby that was supposed to be monitored 24/7 and she wasn't, and it ended up being life-threatening... what if that had happened in a different hospital? We need real change here, not just lip service.

the stats are pretty crazy - 1 in 150 births in Scotland result in a baby death , and that's not even counting stillbirths the scottish gov has announced plans to boost funding by £10m, but we need more than just money to fix this problem the issue is systemic, it's about getting staff to listen to patients and take action when mistakes happen also, have you seen the 6-hour delay for mason scott mclean? that's just unacceptable

Its a travesty that despite advances in medical technology and science, we're still seeing avoidable tragedies like Mason's passing . The fact that incomplete records and missed tests contributed to his demise is a stark reminder of the importance of thorough investigations into such cases. We need more than just funding and regulations to improve care - we need a culture shift where staff are empowered to listen, learn from mistakes, and prioritize patients above all else . Dr Mactier's plea for open honesty and apologies hits close to home, as families torn apart by preventable tragedies deserve nothing less than the truth. Scotland's progress in reducing infant mortality is heartening, but we can't let our guard down - there's still much work to be done to ensure that every newborn receives the best possible start in life .

I'm so fed up with all these baby death cases! Like, what's going on? You put your life in the hands of medical professionals and they mess it up. I mean, Mason McLean, three days old, and he ends up dead from a feeding issue... six hours in hospital?! That's just not right. And Dr Mactier is spot on, we need to know what happened so we can learn from our mistakes! Like, the lack of records and missed tests are just excuses. Families deserve answers and an apology. We can't keep sweeping this under the rug. Scotland needs to step up its game and make sure these cases are investigated properly. It's not good enough just saying "we're sorry" when it comes to baby deaths... we need real change

I think it's pretty obvious that some of these baby deaths are just a result of overworked staff who are literally burning out... like, have you seen the state of NHS hospitals lately? It's no wonder they're making mistakes. And let's be real, families deserve better than some half-baked investigation that just doesn't cut it. I mean, if Dr Mactier is saying we need more transparency and honesty from the hospital staff, shouldn't that start with actually taking responsibility for their own mistakes?

just read about the new plans to strengthen safety regs at Scottish maternity units & I gotta say...this is long overdue we've seen some horrific cases of baby deaths due to neglect or poor care, like that 3-day-old Mason Scott McLean who died after being in the hospital for 6 hours complete records and missed tests? come on! it's not just about stats and numbers, it's about human lives & families left shattered by preventable mistakes we need to do better, Scotland has been making progress but there's still so much work to be done