As 58 babies might have survived with better care in Oxfordshire, BBC Scotland gleefully report one Scottish maternity unit not ‘up to standard’ in some way but no avoidable baby deaths

BBC Scotland’s insert in BBC Breakfast this morning had a story of Maternity Services in Kirkcaldy not being ‘up to standard.’ As search found the above.

BBC Scotand’s Edinburgh, Fife and East website had

Nothing.

I tried again:

OMG, that’ll be it! 58 babies not saved. I have relatives in Fife. I clicked on the link:

Wait why is BBC Oxfordshire reporting on maternity care in Fife?

I read on:

At least 58 babies at an NHS maternity unit might have survived with better care, a BBC investigation has found. The deaths included 32 stillbirths and 26 neonatal deaths – which is a death within 28 days – at Oxford University Hospitals Trust (OUH) between 2019 and 2024, according to a Freedom of Information request. Bereaved and harmed mothers have blamed missed chances, “arrogance” among some senior doctors and a “defensive culture”. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz9qq8d7l1ko

So, back to Kirkcaldy, not up to standard? Any avoidable deaths? No, none mentioned.

Just another ‘Scottish’ media attempt to weaken the SNP with two months to go before an election, based one very little.

What’s the truth about maternity care in Scotland relative to the rest of the UK?

This:

Short video – Crosshouse maternity unit inspection report requires no formal inquiry or police investigation, 16 trusts in England do, so BBC Scotland twist the inspection report to suggest ongoing worries though these were dealt with by Scottish Government 10 years ago
Maternity negligence in NHS Scotland falls dramatically in last three years to only one seventh, per head, of that in NHS England but the Herald desperately tries to suggest a crisis here
Thousands of babies and mothers avoidably dead in NHS England’s maternity trusts, twelve trusts under investigation and two trusts face police investigations into potential corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter but we get QEUH and two or three deaths ten years ago maybe linked to water supply, endlessly with Anas Sarwar

One thought on “As 58 babies might have survived with better care in Oxfordshire, BBC Scotland gleefully report one Scottish maternity unit not ‘up to standard’ in some way but no avoidable baby deaths”

  1. ‘Maternity Services in Kirkcaldy not being ‘up to standard.’ – surely such BBC Scotland negativity CANNOT be about maternity services at the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy?

    From the NHS Fife website today, 19 March: ‘An unannounced inspection by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) has praised maternity services at Victoria Hospital, NHS Fife, for delivering compassionate, person-centred care. The inspection, carried out in December 2025, highlighted strong multidisciplinary teamwork, visible senior leadership, and highly positive feedback from women and families using the service.’

    From the actual report: Healthcare Improvement Scotland (March 19, 2026) Unannounced Inspection Report Maternity Services Safe Delivery of Care Inspection – Victoria Hospital NHS Fife. (https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/HIS_MAT_LREP_VH_FIFE_MAR26_FINAL-1.pdf )

    ‘We observed staff providing compassionate and responsive care to women and their families. Women and families whom we spoke with were complimentary of the care they received and would recommend NHS Fife maternity services to family and friends. (my emphasis)

    ‘Senior obstetricians and senior midwifery managers were visible and clinically active, working with the multidisciplinary team to provide person-centred care to women and their families. Good teamwork between obstetricians, midwives and the health care support team was evident throughout the inspection. Visible senior obstetrics and midwifery leadership with respectful and supportive interactions between the teams were observed.

    ‘Staff, newly qualified practitioners, and students described respectful working relationships with senior managers and the multidisciplinary team, feeling well supported and able to raise concerns.

    ‘During inspection we identified some areas for improvement. …..’ Inevitably, and in such inspections likely to be always so?

    For example: ‘During inspection, patient care equipment was clean and ready for use. However, it was observed that baby scales and baby changing mats were placed on trolleys which had no brakes. This was discussed with staff and the senior charge midwife as a concern that the trolleys cannot be secured during use and could result in injury. The senior charge midwife advised inspectors that they would action this.’ (Page 22)

    Broadcasting a negative news story based on these HIS findings, especially for a national or UK-wide audience, beggars belief. It would have been more appropriate to provide a positively-framed news report about NHS Fife for local or national audiences, if only BBC Scotland could conceive of such a thing!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.