A couple whose daughter has been left profoundly disabled since her birth are suing Ramsay Health Care, claiming it is responsible for her condition after staff failed to monitor her closely and expedite her delivery at Peel Health Campus in 2019.
The little girl, who is not named here at her parents’ request, suffered severe brain injury resulting in cerebral palsy, epilepsy and intellectual disability as a result of a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain during her birth.
Peel Health Campus. Picture: Nine News PerthCredit: Nine News Perth
In a writ filed with the Supreme Court of WA this week, the girl’s parents, Krysten and Jamie Glanville, claim staff at the hospital botched her delivery by failing to properly interpret foetal heartbeat monitoring equipment to recognise that she was struggling after Krysten was induced.
The document states staff “failed to recognise or respond” to the baby’s heartbeat decelerating on and off for four hours before her birth.
The writ also states that hospital staff failed to provide an obstetric view and foetal scalp sampling at appropriate times during her birth, and failed to expedite her delivery by performing a caesarean section.
There was also no paediatrician present at the delivery, according to the writ, and the baby was transferred to Perth Children’s Hospital soon after birth.
The couple additionally claim they have both suffered psychologically as a result of the trauma suffered during the birth and are seeking damages of an undisclosed sum from Ramsay.
They state that the baby girl has had to undergo continuing treatment of her injuries and associated disabilities.
The court lodgement comes four months after the death of toddler Sandipan Dhar, who died in March at Joondalup Health Campus, also run by Ramsay Health Care.
His parents claim a simple blood test could have saved their son’s life and have lodged complaints against the staff who treated him.
A second family also spoke out against Ramsay Health Care after another baby died between induction and birth at Joondalup Health Campus.
Suzan Al Hulow claimed that on March 22 she was not properly looked after and was left unexamined for too long after being induced, disputing the hospital’s version of events.
Joondalup Health Campus issued a statement claiming that Al Hulow was checked on four hours after the induction, according to protocol.
Ramsay Health Care has been contacted for comment.
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