Publisher Health

A hospital trust has told an inquest its “failure” to offer antibiotics to a mother during labour is “likely to have contributed” to the death of her baby.

Zachary Taylor-Smith developed breathing problems and died at Royal Derby Hospital in November 2022 just 14 hours after he was born.

His parents Hannah and Tim Taylor-Smith said they had serious concerns about the care he received.

A three-day inquest into Zachary’s death began on Monday.

The hearing was read a statement from University Hospitals Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, which said a failure to offer antibiotics to Mrs Taylor-Smith during her labour “is likely to have contributed” to the baby’s death.

The trust also admitted a “failure to escalate care” after Zachary’s birth, which could have “prevented death”, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

Zachary was born at 36 weeks after his mother was induced because of recurrent asthma attacks, the inquest heard.

He was initially in a healthy condition but soon became unwell, suffering a low temperature and poor feeding, the LDRS said.

The couple, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, previously said they were not listened to when they alerted hospital staff to Zachary’s deterioration.

They claim doctors told them their son had died from Group B Strep, otherwise known as GBS, but they were not made aware of the life-threatening condition until after his death.

They say if had been made aware of the disease, and if Mrs Taylor-Smith was given antibiotics, their son’s death could have been avoided.

Mr and Mrs Taylor-Smith told the hearing, at Derby and Derbyshire Coroner’s Court, of the impact Zachary’s death had had on them.

“My world is full of darkness now. None of this will never make sense,” Mrs Taylor-Smith.

“Taking my baby to the mortuary will be something I never forget. I had to walk past happy families taking their newborn babies into their cars. On the school run I now have to pick up my children from the school office because happy families in the playground is too much to bear.

“I had never been told about Group B Strep before. If I had been told I would have gone to have been privately screened for it.”

Mrs Taylor-Smith told the BBC she still finds herself unable to visit Zach’s graveside in Lichfield as it is too upsetting.

She added: “I can’t fathom he is below ground and I can’t get to him. It is too painful to go to the graveside.”

Mr Taylor-Smith said losing his son, the couple’s fifth child, had been like “living in a real-life horror movie”.

In November the trust’s maternity services were rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission.

The Taylor-Smiths have called for Donna Ockenden, who is leading the biggest ever investigation into NHS maternity failings, to expand her review to Derby and Burton-upon-Trent.

The inquest continues.

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