Royal Sussex County Hospital: Baby was born 'blue', inquest hears

Eileen McCarthy and Noel German were shocked to discover their baby Walter had been injured during birth

A woman has described seeing her new born baby "blue and making no sound", during an inquest into his death.

Eileen McCarthy gave birth to her son Walter in December 2020 at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

She and her partner Noel German were in "complete shock" after a consultant told them their baby may have had a brain injury, the inquest heard.

Walter was starved of oxygen at birth and had to be resuscitated after a long labour. He died a week later.

Walter German's life support was turned off as his injuries were irreparable

When it emerged he would not recover from the resulting brain injury his parents made the decision to remove life support, Brighton and Hove City Coroner's Court heard.

Lawyers at Fieldfisher are pursuing a civil negligence case, as an elective C-section was not discussed with Ms McCarthy.

The firm claims a midwife acknowledged they had not been aware Ms McCarthy had suffered a third-degree tear in her first pregnancy three years previously, despite this being recorded in her notes.

In 2021 maternity and surgical services at the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust were found to be inadequate.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) raised concerns about staff shortages, skills training and risk management.

Rebecca Drew, a lawyer from Fieldfisher representing the family, said: "Walter's death is yet another tragedy in the series of maternity failings that have rocked the whole country.

"Noel and Eileen are determined to create something positive from Walter's death - to ensure no-one else suffers an unbearable loss like theirs.

"We will continue to lobby the government to properly fund safe care for mothers and babies to make sure this happens."

The inquest continues.

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