Losing a child in tragic and potentially avoidable circumstances is devastating on every level, but what if those mistakes were shared publicly to prevent further heartache for other families?
This is something that the Molloy family has campaigned for, following the death of their baby son, Mark, back in 2012.
A report into Mark’s death showed that his mother, Roisin, was inappropriately given a drug to speed up her labour – a move which ultimately put her baby in further distress. Other factors listed in the tot’s death were a delay in transferring Mrs Molloy to the operating theatre for delivery, and the failure of hospital staff to act on signs of foetal distress.
While Mark’s death, 22 minutes after he was born, was recorded as a stillbirth, the Molloys bitterly fought for an investigation and report into the real cause of his passing.
Since its release, Baby Mark’s report has been published publicly, but the Molloys are now calling for the same protocol to be granted automatically to other families.
“These reports should not be kept hidden away. They provide an opportunity for shared learning – not just in the hospital where the baby died, but in all maternity units across the country,” said Mrs Molloy.
She added: “Baby Mark’s report is now on the HSE website. It is what we repeatedly asked for and now it is open to others involved in maternity care to access it and learn lessons.”
The HSE has said that these reports are “not typically published”, and instead improvements across maternity services are being implemented.
