Decision Report 201810379

Summary

Mrs C complained about the care and treatment which she received at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. She was in the hospital when her waters broke and there was a delay in transferring her to the labour ward. Mrs C underwent a caesarean section (surgical operation for delivering a child) and then went on to develop an infection which required antibiotics. Mrs C felt that the delay in transferring her to the labour ward was the cause of her infection.

We took independent advice from a consultant obstetrician (medical specialist in care of women before, during and after pregnancy) and gynaecologist (medical specialism in disorders of the female productive system) and found that Mrs C had received appropriate care and treatment. While there was a delay in transferring Mrs C to the labour ward, as it was busy at the time, Mrs C was kept under observation and there was no indication of problems with either her or her baby. Following the caesarean section Mrs C developed a temperature and appropriate blood tests were requested along with a medical review. Intravenous (into a vain) antibiotics (for possible infection) were started until the blood results were available. We did not uphold the complaint.