Cwm Taf maternity review: Mum 'scared' to use hospital
A mother whose baby died after failures at a hospital at the centre of a damning report has said she still has no faith in its maternity services.
Sarah Handy was sent home with painkillers and laxatives before giving birth to Jennifer, who died a short time later.
A highly-critical report said maternity services at Royal Glamorgan and Prince Charles hospitals were "dysfunctional".
Cwm Taf health board said it understood people's anxieties.
The independent review found services for expectant and new mothers were "under extreme pressure" with patients' worries often ignored.
'Questions to answer'
It was prompted by concerns over the deaths of a number of babies.
After the report uncovered numerous failings, Health Minister Vaughan Gething put Cwm Taf maternity services into special measures.
Mrs Handy said: "I've lost all confidence and trust in the service. I would be very, very scared to use the services again. There are a lot of questions that need to be answered."
Ms Handy's case was one of those highlighted in the accompanying report, which carried concerns expressed by women and families over the quality of care they received.
The review team said her case included at least five failings in how the maternity service responded and dealt with her in April 2017.
Ms Handy, from Merthyr Tydfil, wants to see more staff and more safeguards in place: "Doctors, midwives, across the board really, listening to patients and patients feeling much more valued."
Meanwhile, Des Kitto, chief officer of the board of Community Health Councils (CHC) in Wales and former chief officer for patient watchdog Cwm Taf CHC said it was a "horrific report".
He said the CHC raised concerns about the number of stillbirths and undertook a number of unannounced visits.
He is unhappy they were not made aware of an internal report by a consultant midwife, produced in September. The independent review criticised Cwm Taf for sitting on it.
"I don't think we had the full story," said Mr Kitto.
"I don't think there was an attempt to mislead, but patients have been let down and the responsibility goes back to the whole board - we should be looking at how they can rebuild the necessary trust."
Dr Clea Harmer, chief executive at Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, said: "It is incredibly sad that for so many parents the first time they truly feel their voice has been heard, since suffering the devastation of the death of their baby, is a report into failings at a maternity unit that may have led to that bereavement."
She highlighted the testimony of one mother, who recalled a woman coming in and saying "'Just to let you know the baby's died.' She didn't break it gently. Then she just walked away."
Cwm Taf Morgannwg chief executive Allison Williams said: "We completely understand the anxiety people may be feeling and we would encourage people to talk to their community midwife to ensure that they have their questions answered."