Baby death inquest hears concerns over Yeovil maternity 'delays'
After her birth, Daisy was moved to Southmead Hospital in Bristol and died in a children's hospice in Barnstaple on 22 February. Ms Archer said: "Although the inquest determined an earlier delivery would not have made a difference to her survival, the delivery process raised a number of concerns."She said there had been "a failure to communicate appropriately between staff" and "a lack of training on recognising the significance of abnormal foetal movements".The inquest found there were multiple communication issues and the consultant involved, who was on-call from home, was not fully aware of staffing problems on the ward.Daisy's parents were left on their own for about an hour with no action being taken, the hearing was also told.
The birthing service at Yeovil District hospital is currently closed following a Care Quality Commission report into children's services. A prevention of future deaths report has been sent to Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.Ms Archer said: "I remain concerned about the prospect of Yeovil Maternity Unit reopening without matters being considered."In a statement the Trust said: "We are already working hard to address the points raised, including improvements in training, managing escalation, promotion of appropriate professional challenge, communication and training, as well as ensuring our colleagues fully understand relevant policies and procedures."
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Daily Mail
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Woman who refused to eat for the first decade of her life choked on her own vomit, inquest hears
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The Sun
4 minutes ago
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Can I get them? Wegovy is offered on prescription to obese adults given specialist weight loss treatment. The NHS currently also offers a similar drug called Saxenda, or liraglutide. Both are only available throught specialist weight management services, which means you have to be referred to clinics led by experts. GPs can't prescribe them on their own, Dr Watson said. The jabs have to be taken as part of an overall programme to help with lifestyle changes and psychological support to get the best effect from the medication prescribed. Are there any risks? Like all medicines, the jabs do not come without side effects. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' 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'Mounjaro works by activating two hormonal receptors (GIP and GLP-1), which enhance insulin production, improve insulin sensitivity, and work to decrease food intake." After examining the pen at her Harley Street practice, Dr Shotter said: "This is a controlled, prescription-only drug. "This is a UK-approved pen, so this has not been smuggled into the country. "It is a huge concern, because, how has it appeared on the black market in the first place? "If you [our reporter] came into my surgery asking to go on a weight loss drug, immediately the answer would be, 'No.' "If you lost one to two stones, you could drop into a low BMI category. "This is not what the drug is intended for and it is, quite frankly, terrifying that you've been able to buy it. And not just that, it is the fact, you've been placed on a higher dose. "If a patient came to me who did qualify because of their weight, then I would have a thorough consultation with them. 'I would possibly run blood tests to ensure it is as safe as possible and to make sure there are no underlying liver or pancreatic problems. "This man has not even asked you your name, so how is the drug being prescribed? It is impossible that this is legitimate. "It is a genuine risk to public health and especially dangerous to those with eating disorders. 'These drugs carry risks to your health and your mental health, especially to those who suffer from eating disorders.' 9 9 9 9 The rise in the 'dangerous' black market availability of weight loss injections is being increasingly seen by eating disorder charities in the UK. After being informed about The Sun's investigation, Tom Quinn, Beat's Director of External Affairs said: "We're incredibly concerned that it's so easy to access weight loss injections on the black market. "Medications which cause weight loss can be very attractive to people with eating disorders, and can contribute to these dangerous mental illnesses getting worse. "They pose severe health risks, especially if they are easily accessible without prescriptions. "Weight loss injections are very serious medications with severe side effects such as vomiting and nausea, which can contribute to an eating disorder developing, or make it worse. "We also have concerns about what happens after somebody stops taking these drugs. If somebody gains weight after their prescription finishes, this may trigger feelings of guilt and shame, which could increase the chances of an eating disorder developing. "More action needs to be taken to prevent these drugs being so easily accessible. 'And it's vital that there is more education so that people are aware of how dangerous it is to abuse medication in order to lose weight. "For those with binge eating disorder, losing weight won't help a person recover from an eating disorder. 'While it may bring their BMI down in isolation, it will do nothing to address the root cause or symptoms of the eating disorder – and could make things worse. "Doctors and pharmacies must make the general public aware of these dangers, and ensure that prescriptions are only possible after stringent health checks." BLACK MARKET Medicines bought on the black market that have not been through rigorous safety testing bring additional risks. The market leaders Mounjaro, which contains tirzepatide, and Ozempic, which contains semaglutide, are administered via injection of pre-filled pens. They work by mimicking the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1, which is released after eating, and suppresses a patient's appetite. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) recommends semaglutide for adults who have at least one weight-related comorbidity and a body mass index (BMI) score of at least 35, or a BMI of at least 30 and meet criteria for referral to a specialist weight management service. A Lily spokesperson said: "Patients should only use Mounjaro (tirzepatide) when prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional and prescriptions should be fulfilled and supplied only by registered pharmacies and providers. Any tirzepatide offered without a prescription or for purchase on social media or black market is unlawful. These products are either fake or being 'resold' by an individual who obtained them through illicit means. Both practices put patients at risk. "Counterfeit, fake, and other unsafe products that are sold in a manner that falsely represents their authenticity, origin, or effectiveness are dangerous. These black-market products are often made in unsanitary conditions, which is especially dangerous for sterile injectables, like tirzepatide. "They may contain the wrong ingredients, contain too much, too little, or no active ingredient at all, or contain other harmful ingredients. No one should ever risk putting them into their bodies. "Lilly has taken steps to help address the risks posed by the proliferation of counterfeit, fake, and unsafe products across the world, including working with regulators and law enforcement, and identifying and removing fraudulent or unsafe content online and on social media — and we will continue to pursue all available avenues to combat fake and black-market medicines. "But our efforts alone are not enough. We applaud the MHRA's warnings on the risks of unsafe fake weight loss pens and the risks of buying medicines online without a prescription, and we welcome their continued partnership in the fight against counterfeit and illegal medicines. "We call upon regulators and law enforcement across the globe to take action against those who threaten the health and wellbeing of patients by selling fake or unsafe medicines." 9 9
BBC News
4 minutes ago
- BBC News
Mum 'kept interrupting paramedics saving daughter', inquest told
The mother of a woman who died after refusing chemotherapy for cancer "presented a challenge" to paramedics trying to save her daughter's life after she suffered a heart attack, an inquest has Shemirani, 23, from Uckfield, East Sussex, was diagnosed at Maidstone Hospital with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in December 2023. She died seven months later after seeking only "alternative" treatment. Her mother Kate Shemirani, a former nurse who rose to prominence on social media sharing Covid conspiracy theories, calls chemotherapy toxic and dangerous, the inquest was told. 'We had to be quite firm' When Paloma collapsed at her mother's home in July 2024, paramedic Robin Bass said Kate "presented a challenge as she kept interrupting while the crews were carrying out care".He told the coroner that Kate mentioned a mass on her daughter's chest. When Mr Bass told colleagues it could be cancer, he said Kate denied it was. Paloma's mother, who was struck off as a nurse for promoting misinformation about the pandemic, instead said she was choking on food. Paloma, a Cambridge graduate, died at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton after suffering a heart attack caused by her tumour. Dr Peter Anderson, who saw her when paramedics brought her in, previously told the inquest a large mass in her chest and neck, which was compressing her airways and affecting major blood vessels, could have caused the cardiac arrest. A safeguarding report was later requested over concerns about Paloma's refusal of cancer treatment and the "possible influence" of her mother. Paloma's twin brother Gabriel, who blames her death on his mother's conspiratorial beliefs, asked if she had made the paramedics' job more difficult that night. Mr Bass said: "I believe we had to be quite firm at some points… had to ask for quiet while administering care to your sister."The coroner previously heard that Ms Shemirani had called a friend when Paloma collapsed, only dialling 999 after her friend arrived at the house. Paloma's brother Gabriel asked another paramedic who treated Paloma at the inquest if his mum's delay in calling an ambulance affected her chance of survival."It's difficult to say," said Karen Clarke, Secamb critical care paramedic. "You always recommend someone calling 999 straight away."Gabriel asked Ms Clarke if she would have called a friend first, she replied she would have called an ambulance first. Dr Arundoya Mohan, a consultant haematologist at Maidstone Hospital, told Paloma in December 2023 she had an 80% chance of recovery if she had chemotherapy. Ms Shemirani blames doctors for her daughter's death.
