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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published:14 June 2007

Baby death at the Royal Free – who is to blame?

A BABY of a few minutes has died tragically at the Royal Free. Who is to blame?
In today’s blame culture, fingers are pointed at the hospital front-line staff.
Incorrect dosages may well have been made, and bad-tempered staff said things they must now regret.
The wrong dosage? Well, yes and no. The doctor administered the level of dosage of Prostin recommended by national guidelines but not, unfortunately, by the guidelines laid down by the hospital Trust.
He appeared to have worked long hours. He was not a consultant but a specialist registrar, below consultant level, the type of doctors now used more and more by hardpressed hospitals as the ‘Workhorses’ of the NHS.
A tragic death in hospital may have two causes – human error or poor logistics.
There is a grave shortage of midwives nationally and enquiries show there were too few on duty at the Free that fateful night.
Moreover, too much may have been expected of a supervising midwife that night.
Mistakes may well have been made in the labour ward but overall responsibility should lie with the top management. Here lies the kernel of the problem.

Radical Camden campaigners can take a bow

A RADICAL campaign for better social housing that began in Camden 10 years ago may end up forcing the government to change its policy.
If this were to occur it would be a truly astonishing feat – and a reaffirmation of the power of popular protests.
In 1997 the council tried to sell off its housing stock. Rebuffed by tenants, the attempt to privatise council estates gave birth to a body known as Defend Council Housing.
Since then it has lobbied, protested and marched its way across the face of local and national politics.
Perhaps, it may well now be at the final winning tape given the pledges by the Labour deputy leadership candidates on Tuesday that they support direct council investment in housing.
Luck often plays its part in politics.   By coincidence the DCH juggernaut has just reached a high point of protest at the very moment when Gordon Brown needs to win support from the traditional Labour heartlands long-neglected by Tony Blair in favour of marginal seats and Middle England.
The battle has not yet been won. Gordon Brown has still to put the seal of approval on the pledges made by those striving to be his deputy.      Even so, the Camden campaigners have a great deal to be proud of.

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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