Maternity unit blood mix-up risk

The BBC News site features a recent article. Maternity staff have been urged to take extra care over labelling blood samples after warnings that mix-ups could put mothers and babies at risk, claims Jan Green in an editorial in the British Journal of Midwifery (12:8 2004). The recent publication of the Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT, 2003) report highlighted that 75% of reported incidents were related to an incorrect blood component being transfused. This reflects a 25% increase in the number of reports from the previous 12 months. Approximately 30% of these incidents were due to mislabelling of samples.

The Royal College of Midwives comment is included: "We fully endorse the use of NHS number for babies to reduce the risk of confusion between blood samples taken from the mother and the baby. Mothers and babies should be reassured that their safety and well- being is of paramount importance."

Hospital admits stillbirth mistakes

Reporting on the recent case in Bishop Auckland where an unborn baby died after the mother had to be transferred 12 miles by car between maternity units owing to the non-availability of an ambulance.

Significantly, the report includes the following:

"Robert Aitken, the trust’s medical director, said: “The [trust's] review [of the incident]has identified two failings. Mrs Harrison was told she was eligible to give birth at the maternity unit at Bishop Auckland General Hospital. This advice breached the unit’s own clinical guidelines. When it became clear . . . that Mrs Harrison required transfer, the unit’s guidelines say that an ambulance should have been arranged to take her there. No ambulance was requested for her."