THE parents of a baby boy who died at Hereford County Hospital following a delayed emergency birth have demanded improvements are made to the hospital’s maternity services.

The inquest into the death of two-day-old Harley Keddie resumed today at Herefordshire Coroner’s Court following an adjournment to arrange for the pathologist to attend.

The previous inquest in October heard how mum Hayley Jones and dad Daniel Keddie went to Hereford County Hospital on March 20 when she went into labour.

Soon hospital staff realised the baby’s life was in danger and a code red was called for an emergency c section at 11.40am.

As there was no operating theatre available a ventouse delivery was attempted before Harley was delivered by c section at 12.14pm- 34 minutes since the initial decision for a c section and four minutes longer than the recommended time.

Harley was transferred to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton where he died at 2.45am on March 22.

Today, after listening to evidence from the pathologist, coroner Roland Wooderson recorded a narrative verdict.

He recorded the cause of death as massive hypoxic–ischaemic brain damage. He added that the attempted ventouse delivery caused a large subaponeurotic haemorrhage (bleed to the brain) and the post mortem findings were consistent with multi organ failure consequential upon the complications of birth including the haemorrhage.

Following the inquest Miss Jones said: “Daniel and I were really looking forward to welcoming our son into the world and being parents for the first time, but we have both been left completely devastated by the ordeal we were put through at the hospital which we believe ultimately led to Harley’s death.

“During Harley’s delivery, the maternity staff were extremely chaotic and I believe if they had acted differently and I was referred quickly up to theatre for a c section then Harley would be still with us.”

Wye Valley NHS Trust has since been put in special measures, which Miss Jones said they were not surprised by.

She added: “But for Harley’s death to not be in vain improvements must be made to maternity services at Hereford Hospital to prevent any other family from being put through the same hell and losing their precious baby.”

The trust has since carried out a number of changes including arrangements for the anaesthetic room on delivery suite to be converted into an emergency theatre if required and clear lines of communication and responsibility agreed and practiced.

Dr Sally Stucke, medical director at the trust, said: “We have carried out an in-depth investigation into the death of baby Harley and have made changes which will allow us to respond differently should the same emergency situation arise again in the future.”