Baby joy for hospital death mum

Wayne and Karen Coyne mourn Caitlin at her grave

A mother whose baby was dying in hospital in Truro, Cornwall, as midwives went to get a Chinese takeaway is having another child.

Karen Coyne's baby was born by Caesarean section at the Royal Cornwall Hospital and died the next day.

The death prompted a review by an independent panel which highlighted a number of failings.

Mrs Coyne had the first scan for her new baby on Wednesday - as the report on Caitlin's death was released.

Mrs Coyne, 33, from Falmouth, said: "It was not through choice, but there was nowhere else to have the scan.

Very angry

"Otherwise I don't think wild horses would have dragged me into the maternity unit.

"I bolted down the corridor, had the scan and left as quickly as possible.

The maternity unit was a time-bomb waiting to happen Wayne Coyne

"We are still very angry at what happened and I can't just forget it now.

"It is emotional at the best of times having a scan and that was the first time I have been back to the unit."

The scan went successfully and Mrs Coyne is expecting to find out the sex at another scan in three weeks' time.

Wayne Coyne, 38, said "We're overjoyed.

"Obviously there was a hell of hole left after the loss of Caitlin, but we were not expecting it to be this quick."

Mr Coyne, 38, said: "I don't want my wife to go back to the same hospital with the same staff. But we live in Cornwall, so we cannot go anywhere else.

Hospital investigation

"We would have liked to go private, but we can't afford it."

Since the death of Caitlin in December last year, the family has been involved with the investigation into her death which revealed that Mrs Coyne's midwife was calling for help after two other midwives had been released to get a Chinese meal.

The baby girl was born dead after an emergency Caesarean section later on Christmas Eve.

Mr Coyne, who wants an inquest into Caitlin's death, said: "It could have happened to anybody. The maternity unit was a time-bomb waiting to happen.

"Caitlin would now have been coming up to eight months.

"I will live with the frustration for the rest of my life."

Twenty-four recommendations are made in the report by the Royal Cornwall Hospital's Trust.

Enough staff

They include making sure staffing levels are adequate and procedures are in place when a woman with obstetric problems is due.

It says communication skills need to be honed and the training of staff in cardiotocography (CTG) equipment should continue.

Brian Milstead, chief executive of the trust, stressed there were enough staff on duty despite the midwives going for a takeaway.

He said in a letter to Mr and Mrs Coyne: "I would like to offer my sincere condolences on your sad loss and to personally apologise for the shortcomings in care that have been identified, and for the distress and pain this has caused."