Report on tragic death of teen mum after she gave birth at St Richard's Hospital 'doesn't reflect what happened'

The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) was criticised by a consultant at the hospital for a report which she said did not 'reflect what happened' in the tragic case of 17-year-old Teegan Barnard who gave birth to a baby boy at the hospital in Chichester in September 2019.

The Havant teen suffered a 'major bleed' during her labour, was starved of oxygen and suffered a severe brain injury. She later died on October 7, 2019 at her home in Havant.

The inquest had previously heard that investigators from the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) said it would have been ‘best practice’ to have offered the teenager an induced labour as well as other medical evidence relating to complications suffered.

However speaking at Edes House today (Wednesday, January 12), consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Bronwyn Middleton told the inquest she did not entirely agree with all elements of the HSIB's report.

She said: "There are elements of the report where I am not sure if it reflects the opinions but it certainly doesn't reflect what happened."

Dr Middleton said the HSIB report had wrongly given Teegan's age as 16 rather than 17, and said it offered advice which were 'completely contrary' to national guidelines on inducement of labour.

"Some of our ICU consultants did respond to the report both with factual accuracy and with concerns," she said.

The inquest was told that local NHS guidelines suggest Teegan could have been offered an induced labour at 38 weeks, three weeks before she was due.

The coroner was later told the guidelines were in fact 39 weeks if there were concerns about foetal wellbeing.

Teenage mother who died during childbirth at St Richard's Hospital 'could have been given induced labour' inquest hears

Teegan's parents Abbie and Trevor are now bringing up her son Parker alongside his dad, Leon Forster.

The inquest has now been adjourned while the coroner, Dr Karen Henderson, collects expert evidence.

Rebecca Brown, the expert medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Teegan’s parents, said: “The last few days and listening to the evidence regarding the events that unfolded in the lead up to Teegan’s death have been incredibly distressing for her family."

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