Newcastle hospital admits baby would have survived had mum not been sent home, then told her to 'book a slot'

Danielle Brown, 31, a barista from North Shields, was discharged from Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary in February 2023 despite a consultant having instructed staff she should remain until delivery, following a diagnosis of pre-eclampsia and concerns about baby Maisie's heart rate. When she called back the next day with severe stomach cramps, a midwife brushed off her symptoms as a likely stomach bug.

Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust acknowledged that Maisie would have survived had Brown not been discharged after her initial admission.

Brown waited 90 minutes on her return to hospital, where doctors were unable to detect a heartbeat; she was then sent home again, still suffering from pre-eclampsia.

'I was given a booklet for bereaved parents and told to book a slot to give birth — hearing that with no compassion angered me so much,' Brown said.