Baby born at 11oz and kept in sandwich bag died aged 19 months
While at home in October 2024, Robyn's oxygen levels dropped, and following a few days in Noah's Ark Children Hospital, she died on 2 November at Tŷ Hafan Children's Hospice.The inquest heard on 26 October 2024, Robyn's parents, Chantelle and Daniel, became "extremely worried" about her condition.Her blood oxygen saturation levels had lowered to between 50 and 60%, which is significantly low.They phoned an ambulance but were told it would take eight hours, so they took her to hospital themselves.
"We had to carry Robyn out at midnight on our own in the dark and cold," the coroner said on behalf of Chantelle and Daniel.The coroner told the inquest she found there were "failures" by Welsh Ambulance Service when Robyn's parents made the 999 call that night.There was an incorrect record in response to Robyn's consciousness, Caroline Saunders said, and a failure to record her blood oxygen saturation levels.A correct record would have prompted a clinician to trigger a red category response, she said, meaning Robyn would have arrived at hospital sooner as the target time for an ambulance within that category is eight minutes.However, the coroner said Robyn already had a chest infection and the outcome would not have changed had she arrived at hospital sooner.
She had developed pneumonia and the effects were "overwhelming", said the coroner.The inquest heard evidence from Melanie Collier from the Welsh Ambulance Service who said that changes had been made to the system.The inquest also heard from Gillian Pleming from the service who said it was experiencing "a high number of calls in the area" at the time.Despite the protocol selection from the clinical support desk being correct, Ms Pleming said, the category was not."I'm reassured that Welsh Ambulance Service has made changes," the coroner told the inquest.Ms Saunders said she would write to Aneurin Bevan University Health Board regarding "unacceptable delays" in the handover of patients, which means that ambulances can't be released to attend to patients.Welsh Ambulance Service and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board have been contacted for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
9 minutes ago
- BBC News
Building of Peterborough's new diagnostic centre begins
Construction work on a city's new community diagnostic centre aimed at reducing patient waiting times has officially begun.A ground-breaking ceremony has been held at the site in Wellington Street, Peterborough, which is due to open in facility, which will be run by North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT), will offer scans including MRI, X-ray and ultrasound, as well as cardiology and respiratory diagnostic chief executive Charlotte Williams said: "It will improve the time in which we can see patients, as well as getting a diagnosis quicker for those who need further treatment." Chris Loach from construction firm Tilbury Douglas said: "The ground-breaking ceremony represents the culmination of months of planning, collaboration and commitment, and the beginning of a project that will leave a lasting positive impact on the local community."Plans to demolish existing buildings at the site were approved last year to make way for the new facility. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mail
36 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Psychotherapist reveals key warning sign that your everyday stress is about to tip you over the edge, triggering a mental breakdown
It's hard not to feel completely overwhelmed by life at times, but a psychotherapist has shared the one of the critical warning signs that you've gone from worrying about things at a normal level to developing full blown anxiety. Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress and uncertainty, and can be triggered from anything between making presentation at work to proposing to the love of your life. But while the feeling of 'nerves' usually subside after the completion of the stressful event, sometimes the anxiety lingers, and for some people, it becomes louder and louder until performing basic tasks becomes an exhausting—and sometimes scary—uphill struggle. Therapist Clare Patterson, who is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), describes anxiety as when 'the body's alarm system [is] stuck in the 'on' position—without a clear, present danger.' But how do you know that your normal worrying levels have got out of control? Ms Patterson shared eight warning signs that you might be heading towards developing a serious mental illness. Speaking to The Sun, she said one of the biggest red flags is catastrophising, when you focus on what could go wrong, or you're obsessing about future events which are totally out of your control. 'You might be trying to focus at work but your mind is pinging from, "I forgot to book the dentist" to "Do I have cancer?" to "I should drink more water", all in 30 seconds.' She added: 'You might lie awake at 2am thinking, "What if I lose my job? What if I can't pay the mortgage? What if I end up homeless?", even when nothing has changed at work. 'You may also catastrophise, always assuming the worst-case scenario. For example, your partner doesn't reply to a message for a few hours and your brain jumps to, "They're in a crash" or "They're leaving me". 'You may also be in a meeting and notice every change in someone's tone, face or body language, and be convinced it means something bad about you.' Catastrophising can leave someone feeling permanently overwhelmed, and cause them to withdraw from their loved ones and routines, which are both other symptoms the mental health expert pinpointed. 'For people with an anxiety disorder, the excessive stress hormones can feel is not "all in their heads". It is a very real, physiological response. 'A low-level fear with no clear object, like waking up with a pit in your stomach for no reason, just a vague feeling something is going to go wrong today, is also common. 'Some people also find their anxiety is internalised and they keep thinking, "What is wrong with me?" 'You might cancel plans because you're feeling overwhelmed, then spend hours criticising yourself for being "flaky" or "too sensitive".' Ms Patterson added that feelings of indecisiveness and perfectionism can also be warning signs that your worrying is getting unhealthy. She said: 'This often leads a person to second guess even small decisions, like what to wear or what to say in a text. 'Anxiety can lead to perfectionism and procrastination, putting off work because it's never quite good enough.' Other signs manifest physically; tension in the body, and restlessness. Ms Patterson said that people who lack 'coping mechanisms'— are at risk of their anxiety becoming out of control. She defines a coping mechanism as steps someone can take to 'feel safe', which might include positive self-talk, seeking out a familiar face at a party or event, or focusing on their breathing. But people who are very anxious can find themselves falling into a panic attack. She said: 'The rational part of their brain may be overwhelmed by the anxiety and so they exist in a fight/flight/freeze state where there is a lack of trust in themselves to cope and manage. 'This can trigger even more anxiety, sending them into a spiral, and even lead to physical symptoms including panic attacks, headaches and dizziness.' It's estimated that 8 million Britons are living with anxiety, and NHS trusts across the UK are struggling to provide suitable support. In February, after analysing NHS stats, Rethink Mental Illness found that the longest waits for mental health care are over two years (658 days), more than twice as long as the ones for people needing elective physical health treatment (299 days). The delays in treatment have seen people turning to online therapy providers, mindfulness self-help books, and in the case of Gen Z, crafting. Findings from The Power of Making report, commissioned by Hobbycraft and in partnership with mental health charity Mind, surveyed nearly 6,000 people nationwide and found that younger people are turning to crochet and pottery kits to try and calm their anxious minds.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Diamonds could help detect cancer using groundbreaking new technique
Scientists have developed a diamond -based sensor that could make it easier for doctors to detect the spread of cancer. Researchers at the University of Warwick have created a handheld device that is designed to trace tiny magnetic particles injected into the body. The scientists said this offers a non-toxic alternative to radioactive tracers and dyes currently used in hospitals. Metastasis, when cancer cells spread from the original tumour to other parts of the body, is one of the most serious challenges in cancer treatment. Doctors often rely on tests to see whether the cancer has reached the lymph nodes – the areas of tissue that filter fluid in your body for harmful substances – which can guide decisions about surgery and further care. The findings, published in Physical Review Applied, describe how diamonds can be used to build a highly sensitive sensor capable of identifying the magnetic tracer fluid injected into a tumour. This fluid, made up of iron oxide nanoparticles, travels through the body alongside cancer cells, revealing whether they have reached the lymph nodes, the researchers said. Lead author Alex Newman, a PhD student in Warwick University's physics department, said the new tool could improve the way doctors find cancer in keyhole and endoscopic surgery. 'There is a real demand for versatile non-toxic means of finding cancer,' he said. 'For this new diamond-based sensor, we managed to get the size of the sensor head down to just 10 millimetres, which means it is the first diamond sensor to be able to detect magnetic tracer fluid while being small enough for endoscopic use and keyhole surgery.' Mr Newman added that the device was extremely sensitive, capable of detecting just one hundredth of the typical dose of magnetic tracer fluid. The design uses a diamond measuring only half a cubic millimetre alongside a small permanent magnet, the scientists said They added that this compact structure means there is no need for bulky electronics, allowing the sensor to be used by hand in operating rooms. Professor Gavin Morley, who leads the research group, said the breakthrough was possible thanks to nitrogen vacancy centres inside the diamond. 'These allow the diamond to detect very small changes in the magnetic field and give the diamonds a lovely pink colour,' he said. He added that the technology could also have uses beyond medicine, including in spacecraft and fusion power. Current techniques for tracing cancer cells rely on radioactive tracers, which not all hospitals can access, or blue dyes, which trigger allergic reactions in some patients, the researchers said. Clinicians involved in this new project believe the new diamond sensor could help avoid these complications. Stuart Robertson, a consultant breast cancer surgeon at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, said he was already using magnetic localisation in his work. He added that it offers more advantages over traditional techniques. Researchers say the device could eventually be applied to various cancers, including lung, liver, colorectal and oesophageal tumours.
