Basildon Hospital: baby delivered stillborn after 'missed opportunity'

Holly Gisby, 37, lost her baby boy Albie on the 29 July 2023 after she says she was sent away from hospital just 24-hours before.

The mum from Hockley attended the maternity triage unit of Basildon Hospital concerned she was in pain and had experienced leaking fluid for four weeks.

Family - Holly and Lee Gisby (Image: Irwin Mitchell / SWNS)

An ultrasound found the estimated weight of her baby, Albie, was the same as when measured 22 days earlier and that amniotic fluid – which protects babies – was reduced.

Following tests, including monitoring of Albie’s heartrate, Holly was told she could go home.

After the mum-of-two pushed for a second opinion, a registrar reviewed the ultrasound, but she was sent home without a face-to-face examination.

Once home Holly continued to experience pain so called the hospital that evening asking for a further review, which she says was rejected.

At 9pm the following day – 29 July – Holly called the maternity triage unit saying she couldn’t feel Albie moving.

Shortly after arriving at hospital, Holly and husband Lee, 35, were told Albie had died.

Holly and Lee Gisby with their daughters (Image: Irwin Mitchell / SWNS)

Tragically, this was just three days before Holly had been booked for a caesarean section on 1 August.

Holly had to deliver Albie by caesarean around 20 hours later, on 30 July at 39 weeks’ gestation.

She said: “It’s almost impossible to find the words to describe what the last year or so have been like.

"When we found out we were expecting we were overjoyed and couldn’t wait to welcome Albie into our lives. We felt it would make our family complete.

“Initially I felt reassured that my pregnancy seemed to be proceeding without much alarm. However, that all started to change in those final weeks.

"I was leaking fluid and kept suffering what I thought were contractions. However, each time I tried to raise concerns or visited hospital, it felt like I wasn’t really being listened to.

“Even after being told Albie hadn’t grown for three weeks I was made to feel like I was a burden on the hospital. Deep down I feared something wasn’t right but even despite pushing for second opinions and further reviews, I as left feeling like the medical staff weren’t interested.

“Despite this, nothing prepared us for the news Albie had died. We were distraught and then having to deliver Albie just added to the distress.”

Fundraising - Holly and Lee now raise money for Abigail's Footsteps in Albie's memory (Image: Irwin Mitchell / SWNS)The mum had been classed as a high-risk pregnancy because she had delivered her daughters – Daisy and Chloe, aged eight and six – via emergency caesarean.

Following Albie’s death, tests, including a post-mortem examination found he died from late onset intrauterine growth restriction - when a baby in the womb does not grow as expected - as a result of an infection.

A report commissioned by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, found missed opportunities in the family’s care which “were likely to have made a difference to the outcome for baby Albie.”

These faults included a “missed opportunity” to advise Holly to take aspirin, a “missed opportunity to take appropriate action” following the ultrasound scan on 28 July, and a “missed opportunity” to invite Holly for an assessment once she was sent home.

A separate report by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch found that as Holly didn’t have a face-to-face registrar review there was no assessment “of all the risk factors”.

The use of a computerised machine to monitor Albie’s heartrate when Holly was complaining of contractions was also against the manufacturer’s recommendations- meaning the assessment was unreliable and “did not provide reassurance of the baby's well-being.”

Georgina Brammer, the expert medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the family, said: “This is a truly tragic case in which worrying issues in the maternity care Holly and Albie received have been identified by the Trust commissioned report.

“Understandably Holly and Lee remain devastated by the events that unfolded and Albie’s death. What should have been such a happy time for the family we believe ended in unnecessary heartache.

“Sadly through our work we continue to see too many families who have been left trying to pick up the pieces as a result of issues in maternity safety.

“We urge the Trust to learn lessons from the issues identified to prevent other families having to endure the pain Holly and Lee are going through.

“Patient safety should be the fundamental priority and we continue to campaign for improvements in maternity care.”

Since Albie’s death Holly and Lee have taken part in fundraising events, including the London Landmarks Half Marathon and organising a family gala, in aid of the charity Abigail’s Footsteps.

Funds raised have helped buy refrigerated cots for hospitals- which allow bereaved families to spend more time with their babies than would otherwise be possible.

Holly added: “We’d never heard of a cold cot before what happened to us. However, following Albie’s death, because of a cold cot, we spent three days creating memories and introducing Albie to family.

"Daisy and Chloe got to meet and spend time with their baby brother.

“While we’d never want any family to find themselves in a similar position, we’ll forever cherish the precious time we got to spend with Albie before we had to say goodbye.

“Losing a baby is just the start of it. There is a long and painful bereavement process.

"We can’t thank the charities who supported us following Albie’s death for the empathy and compassion they showed our family.

“Fundraising is our way of trying to give something back and help other families who may need support.”

Nicki Abbott, managing director of women's and children's services at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We send our sincere condolences to Holly and Lee on the tragic death of baby Albie. Incidents like this are rare; a full external investigation was undertaken and we are taking action in line with its recommendations.”