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Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Baby died after mum left to give birth alone in one of UK's biggest hospitals
A coroner ruled that Liliwen Iris Thomas died as a result of a 'hypoxic brain injury following an unattended delivery' after her mother Emily Brazier delivered her without any midwives present at University of Wales Hospital A newborn baby died at a major UK hospital after her mother was left alone to give birth. An inquest is being held into the death of Liliwen Iris Thomas after her mother Emily Brazier was left unattended for four hours while in labour at the University of Wales Hospital in Cardiff. Ms Brazier had been admitted to hospital for induced labour on October 8, 2022 at "40+1 weeks", Pontrypidd Coroner's Court heard yesterday. She was given pethidine and codeine to relieve the pain, but the inquest heard she did not receive enough physical checks and was "not attended to". Between 1.15am and 2.14am, no one from the midwifery team checked on her, so she cried out for help. The fact "she had moved to active labour was missed", the coroner said. After a call for help was made, staff arrived and found that Liliwen had been delivered unattended. Liliwen was described as being in a 'very poor condition' and died at 10.40pm that day. The inquest heard that Cardiff and Vale University Health Board admitted that when Miss Brazier was admitted to hospital there was not a 'full complement' of midwives on duty, with only 17 present when the required number was 24. Two on-call midwives then arrived for duty to take the number up to 19. Ms Knight said Tuesday's hearing was a 'narrative inquest' to decide if a Regulation 28 report would be issued. A Regulation 28 report is a document issued by a coroner which aims to prevent future deaths by highlighting potential risks identified during an inquest and recommending preventative actions. The inquest heard that Liliwen's father Rhodri was not present during his daughter's birth because partners were not allowed on the ward during that time due to the hospital having strict rules about visitors overnight between 9pm and 9am. Summing up facts at the hearing, Ms Knight said: 'Liliwen died from a hypoxic brain injury following an unattended delivery in hospital'. Ms Knight added that the death was contributed to by different factors including the mother 'not being attended to as frequently as she should have been', 'the absence of resuscitation at birth', and 'a bacterial infection of the placenta'. The official cause of death, as recorded by Dr Andrew Bamber following an investigation, was given as perinatal asphyxia (lack of oxygen at birth). Abigail Holmes, director of midwifery and neonatal services at the University of Wales Hospital, told the hearing that Liliwen's death represented 'the most tragic case I've ever been involved with'. She said new policies had been put into practice across Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and that investment had been made into staff and training. Miss Brazier previously said how she was 'angry' at being left alone during childbirth. She said she remembered 'being in a cycle of puffing gas and air, passing out, and repeating'. She added: 'So many happy memories and special family moments are tinged with sadness. I dread family events and Christmas as Liliwen will never be there, she will always be the missing piece, her death should never have happened and that's hard to live with.' Dr Rachel Liebling, a consultant obstetrician and specialist in fetal and maternal medicine, said failings by the health board 'more than minimally' contributed to the death of Liliwen. Ms Knight concluded the inquest by offering her condolences to Liliwen's family and said that, having read extensive evidence, she had decided not to issue a Regulation 28 Prevention of Future Deaths report in relation to Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. She said that Liliwen's death had a 'seismic impact on the largest hospital in Wales' (the University of Wales Hospital) and that she was 'satisfied that protocols and guidance have been thoroughly reviewed and that staff within the health board have been significantly retrained'. However, Ms Knight added that she 'remains concerned' that the learning from this case might not have reached other health boards across England and Wales. Therefore, Ms Knight will draft a Regulation 28 report targeted at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence so that it can consider the findings made following Liliwen's death. A copy of the draft will be sent to the Chief Executive of NHS Wales. Following the conclusion of the inquest, Lara Bennett, senior associate at Slater and Gordon, a Cardiff law firm representing Liliwen's family, said: 'This case is truly shocking and Emily, Rhodri and their family have been left absolutely devastated by Liliwen's death. "To have to relive the trauma again at the inquest, and to hear how their beloved baby was failed, has been hugely distressing. Liliwen and Emily were abandoned at a time when their care should have been the hospital's top priority. 'While it is claimed that lessons have been learned, and changes have been implemented, this tragic case highlights concerns regarding understaffing on maternity wards and the absence of basic care and monitoring for mothers and babies at their most vulnerable. "Had this been provided, Liliwen would not have suffered as she did and would be with her family today. It is imperative that the policy changes to maternity services implemented by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board as a direct result of this tragic event are adopted across all Welsh health boards. 'Liliwen's death must not be in vain and the maternity care standards across Wales must be improved to ensure no mother or baby ever suffers in this way again.' On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said: 'Our sincere thoughts and heartfelt condolences remain with Liliwen's family during this incredibly difficult time. 'The health board is fully engaged with the inquest process, and it would be inappropriate to comment further until the inquest concludes.' Following the conclusion of the inquest on Tuesday afternoon, the health board has been asked if it wishes to comment further.
Wales Online
08-07-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Baby died after mother was left to give birth alone in Wales' biggest hospital
Baby died after mother was left to give birth alone in Wales' biggest hospital An inquest into the death of Liliwen Iris Thomas heard her mother was left alone for an hour. She managed to cry for help and it was discovered that her baby daughter had already been born Emily Brazier, Rhodri Thomas and their baby daughter Liliwen who died hours after being born (Image: Slater and Gordon ) A newborn baby died after her mother was left alone to give birth in Wales' biggest hospital without supervision from a midwife or any medical professional, an inquest has heard. Liliwen Iris Thomas was born at the University of Wales Hospital but died just hours later after her mother, Emily Brazier, was left unattended in labour. An inquest into the death of Liliwen was held at Pontypridd Coroner's Court on Tuesday, July 8. The assistant coroner for South Wales Central, Rachel Knight, explained that Miss Brazier was admitted to hospital for an induced labour on October 8, 2022, at '40+1 weeks'. Miss Brazier was given pethidine and codeine for pain relief, however she was 'not attended to or subjected to physical checks regularly enough', the inquest heard. For the latest Cardiff news, sign up to our newsletter here . Evidence read in the hearing revealed that, during the early hours of October 10, 2022, Miss Brazier was not attended to by anyone from the midwifery team for almost an hour between 1.15am and 2.14am, the point when she made a cry for help, and that "the fact she had moved to active labour was missed". After a call for help was made, staff arrived and found that Liliwen had been delivered unattended. Liliwen was described as being in a 'very poor condition' and died at 10.40pm that day. Article continues below The inquest heard that Cardiff and Vale University Health Board admitted that when Miss Brazier was admitted to hospital there was not a 'full complement' of midwives on duty, with only 17 present when the required number was 24. Two on-call midwives then arrived for duty to take the number up to 19. Ms Knight said Tuesday's hearing was a 'narrative inquest' to decide if a Regulation 28 report would be issued. A Regulation 28 report is a document issued by a coroner which aims to prevent future deaths by highlighting potential risks identified during an inquest and recommending preventative actions. Emily, Rhodri and Liliwen in hospital (Image: Slater and Gordon ) The inquest heard that Liliwen's father Rhodri was not present during his daughter's birth because partners were not allowed on the ward during that time due to the hospital having strict rules about visitors overnight between 9pm and 9am. Summing up facts at the hearing, Ms Knight said: 'Liliwen died from a hypoxic brain injury following an unattended delivery in hospital'. Ms Knight added that the death was contributed to by different factors including the mother 'not being attended to as frequently as she should have been', 'the absence of resuscitation at birth', and 'a bacterial infection of the placenta'. The official cause of death, as recorded by Dr Andrew Bamber following an investigation, was given as perinatal asphyxia (lack of oxygen at birth). Abigail Holmes, director of midwifery and neonatal services at the University of Wales Hospital, told the hearing that Liliwen's death represented 'the most tragic case I've ever been involved with'. She said new policies had been put into practice across Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and that investment had been made into staff and training. Miss Brazier previously said how she was 'angry' at being left alone during childbirth. She said she remembered 'being in a cycle of puffing gas and air, passing out, and repeating'. She added: 'So many happy memories and special family moments are tinged with sadness. I dread family events and Christmas as Liliwen will never be there, she will always be the missing piece, her death should never have happened and that's hard to live with.' Dr Rachel Liebling, a consultant obstetrician and specialist in fetal and maternal medicine, said failings by the health board 'more than minimally' contributed to the death of Liliwen. Ms Knight concluded the inquest by offering her condolences to Liliwen's family and said that, having read extensive evidence, she had decided not to issue a Regulation 28 Prevention of Future Deaths report in relation to Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. She said that Liliwen's death had a 'seismic impact on the largest hospital in Wales' (the University of Wales Hospital) and that she was 'satisfied that protocols and guidance have been thoroughly reviewed and that staff within the health board have been significantly retrained'. However, Ms Knight added that she 'remains concerned' that the learning from this case might not have reached other health boards across England and Wales. Therefore, Ms Knight will draft a Regulation 28 report targeted at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence so that it can consider the findings made following Liliwen's death. A copy of the draft will be sent to the Chief Executive of NHS Wales. Following the conclusion of the inquest, Lara Bennett, senior associate at Slater and Gordon, a Cardiff law firm representing Liliwen's family, said: 'This case is truly shocking and Emily, Rhodri and their family have been left absolutely devastated by Liliwen's death. "To have to relive the trauma again at the inquest, and to hear how their beloved baby was failed, has been hugely distressing. Liliwen and Emily were abandoned at a time when their care should have been the hospital's top priority. 'While it is claimed that lessons have been learned, and changes have been implemented, this tragic case highlights concerns regarding understaffing on maternity wards and the absence of basic care and monitoring for mothers and babies at their most vulnerable. "Had this been provided, Liliwen would not have suffered as she did and would be with her family today. It is imperative that the policy changes to maternity services implemented by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board as a direct result of this tragic event are adopted across all Welsh health boards. 'Liliwen's death must not be in vain and the maternity care standards across Wales must be improved to ensure no mother or baby ever suffers in this way again.' On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said: 'Our sincere thoughts and heartfelt condolences remain with Liliwen's family during this incredibly difficult time. 'The health board is fully engaged with the inquest process, and it would be inappropriate to comment further until the inquest concludes.' Following the conclusion of the inquest on Tuesday afternoon, the health board has been asked if it wishes to comment further. Article continues below
Wales Online
09-06-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Major Welsh health board issues A&E warning
Major Welsh health board issues A&E warning Significant pressure across the health care system is having an impact on waiting times at Wales' largest hospital The hospital are facing an increased amount of patients (Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE ) A busy Welsh hospital has asked the public to only attend the hospital's emergency unit if it is an emergency as they experience a high number of patients. The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board put a public plea out as the University Hospital of Wales remains very busy, resulting in longer waiting times for treatments. The pressure on the health care system across Wales has resulted in a high number of patients within the hospital as well as fewer people being discharged at the normal rate. The health board has asked the people of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan to check their symptoms via the NHS 111 website if they are unsure of them as the emergency unit sustains significant pressure. A spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said: "We are currently experiencing significant pressure across our healthcare system which is having an impact on waiting times in the Emergency Unit and patient flow through the hospital. "This pressure has been driven by a combination of factors, including a high number of people requiring hospital admission via ambulance and a lower-than-normal amount of people being discharged from hospital. Article continues below "We are working closely with colleagues and Health Board partners to ensure we can continue to provide safe and effective care to those who need us most. "We would continue to urge the public to think about the alternatives to the Emergency Unit if your condition does not require emergency care, including NHS 111 Wales and local Primary Care services. "The NHS 111 Wales website has a wealth of information on different health conditions, and a symptom checker to help patients make informed decisions. "You can also call 111 to access Barry Minor Injuries Unit, urgent care and Out-of-Hours. "Your Primary Care team in the community could also support. Each member of the primary care team has skills and expertise in different areas, enabling you to get the right support, from the right healthcare professional, first time. "Thank you for your patience and cooperation at this time." Article continues below
Wales Online
03-06-2025
- General
- Wales Online
'Funny and kind-hearted' teenage girl died in hospital after trying to take her own life
'Funny and kind-hearted' teenage girl died in hospital after trying to take her own life Sky Lewis had a history of mental health problems and self-harming, an inquest has heard Sky Lewis, who died aged 16 (Image: Michaela Fry ) A 'funny and kind-hearted' teenage girl who was moved from her family home to a care home took her own life, an inquest has heard. Sky Louise Lewis, who was born in Wolverhampton, moved to Newport and later Cardiff as a young girl with her mother. She attended Eastern High School in Cardiff and was studying for her GCSEs in 2019. During that period she moved to live in a care home in the Haverfordwest area of Pembrokeshire, having struggled with her mental health. A full inquest into her death, which got underway at County Hall in Haverfordwest on Tuesday, June 3, heard that Sky had a history of self-harming. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . The senior coroner for Pembrokeshire, Gareth Lewis, was told that on one occasion Sky drank alcohol before going to school in Cardiff, with her mother only realising when the school contacted her to say her daughter had arrived drunk. Sky Lewis has left a 'space that cannot be filled', according to her mother (Image: Michaela Fry ) Article continues below On July 28, 2019, Sky tried to take her own life in the care home she had moved to. She was found and taken to hospital but her mother said medics told her on July 30 that her daughter was 'brain dead'. Sky passed away in hospital a day later, on July 31, 2019, aged 16. The inquest, which is expected to last up to three weeks, will hear evidence from different people representing different organisations including Hywel Dda University Health Board, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff Council, and Sky's family. Why we cover inquests – and why it's so important that we do As painful as these proceedings are for those who have lost a loved one the lessons that can be learned from inquests can go a long way to saving others' lives. The press has a legal right to attend inquests and has a responsibility to report on them as part of their duty to uphold the principle of open justice. It's a journalist's duty to make sure the public understands the reasons why someone has died and to make sure their deaths are not kept secret. An inquest report can also clear up any rumours or suspicion surrounding a person's death. But, most importantly of all, an inquest report can draw attention to circumstances which may stop further deaths from happening. Should journalists shy away from attending inquests then an entire arm of the judicial system is not held to account. Inquests can often prompt a wider discussion on serious issues, the most recent of these being mental health and suicide. Editors actively ask and encourage reporters to speak to the family and friends of a person who is the subject of an inquest. Their contributions help us create a clearer picture of the person who died and also provides the opportunity to pay tribute to their loved one. Often families do not wish to speak to the press and of course that decision has to be respected. However, as has been seen by many powerful media campaigns, the input of a person's family and friends can make all the difference in helping to save others. Without the attendance of the press at inquests questions will remain unanswered and lives will be lost. On Tuesday, social worker Christopher Evans told the hearing that Sky was a 'high-risk' individual who had been living in a 'high-anxiety household' and a 'difficult home environment' before she moved to the care home. The inquest heard that Sky took medication for depression and to help her sleep, and told her mother that at one point she 'didn't want to be here anymore' and that she would keep trying to kill herself until she was successful. In a statement, Sky's mother Michaela Fry said her daughter was 'funny and kind-hearted'. She said: 'She loved doing silly things to make people laugh. She had a big, infectious laugh, the kind that filled the room and made everybody feel better. 'Life without Sky seems empty and full of 'I wonders'. I love Sky so much and miss her tremendously. There is a space here now that cannot be filled. I will always belong to her.' The inquest continues. Following Sky's death, it was revealed that her organs were donated to help others. You can read more about that here.
Wales Online
25-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
I could smell burnt toast but it was the symptom of something very serious
I could smell burnt toast but it was the symptom of something very serious Gareth Evans would regularly show up to his work while being depressed and upset, and though he knew something wasn't right, he could not pin point the cause Gareth Evans, 57, thinks he had lived at least 10 years with the disease before it was diagnosed (Image: Gareth Evans ) WHEN Gareth Evans hit his mid 40s, smelling burnt toast that wasn't there and crying at work for no apparent reason were just two of the signs of a deeper health issue. Keen rugby player Gareth, who worked as a carpenter at the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, was active and happy in his work and personal life. But the usually cheerful and motivated worker suddenly found himself showing up to his job feeling sad, or randomly crying at work. He would also feel his arm twitch, or smell the aroma of burnt toast. Nothing made any sense but, as doctors soon found out, he had been living with a disease that has no cure: Parkinson's. The depression was one of the first symptoms Gareth noticed but, without a diagnosis, he had been at a loss. 'Depression… it comes with Parkinson's,' he explained. 'I didn't understand it. I'd go into work and I'd feel very sad and I would cry. Article continues below "I would come home and I'd cry in the shower, but I was very good at hiding it, didn't talk about it, and didn't get any help and that just got worse and worse. "I just knew there was something wrong. I just didn't know what." Gareth with his wife Louise who is his motivation on difficult days (Image: Gareth Evans ) It was only when the physical symptoms started that Gareth asked for help. The 57-year-old said: "I worked for 34 years for the health service. So I was actually at work and I looked down onto my left arm, and I could see the muscle just on the forearm… it was twitching, twitching a lot. "I couldn't control it, couldn't stop it and I had this for a while, you know, for a couple of days. "So actually, I went to see a friend of mine who worked in the hospital and I asked her advice and she told me I needed to get it sorted." Gareth finally went to his GP and was referred to a consultant at the University Hospital of Wales. He was given his diagnosis on September 21, 2018, after which he says he 'cried like a baby'. While he now has an answer for his previous symptoms, the diagnosis and the condition itself have understandably had a huge impact on his life. "First of all, the depression just wasn't me, because I've always enjoyed life to the full,' he said. "The depression knocked me for a six, more so than the actual Parkinson's, to be honest. "But it affects me now, like 10 years on if you want to go from the diagnosis date. I can't walk properly. If I don't take my tablets, I get these terrible cramps. "I was walking the dog one day and I forgot to take my tablet and I was stuck in the field for 40 minutes. I just couldn't move. "It was tipping down with rain and all my muscles had seized up. "I had a terrible cramp and it was very, very painful. This sort of thing happens quite a lot. It affects your internal organs as well. "It affects you bladder. So you're constantly back and forth to the toilet. "You think you need a wee, but then you don't, and then you do, and that affects you there. An unfinished painting by Gareth of his wife and him together (Image: Gareth Evans ) "But I must admit, I don't really let it get to me too much now. I'm in control of it." Nearly 8,300 people in Wales are currently living with Parkinson's. The progressive neurological condition caused by a lack of dopamine in the brain. The disease causes both motor symptoms such as tremor, stiffness, and slowness of movement, as well as less commonly recognised non-motor symptoms including sleep disturbances, memory issues, and constipation among others. It can also sometimes lead to phantosmia – where patients perceive smells, such as burnt toast, that aren't actually there. In recent years, Parkinson's has come to renewed public attention as a result of Michael J Fox's campaigning on the issue. The Back to the Future star has been open about his experience with the condition, and has won awards for his advocacy for a cure for the disease. For Gareth, once he had fully taken in the advice from experts and come to terms with the diagnosis, he felt he could move on and get back to work. But while Gareth's return was accommodated well by his employers, in light of his diagnosis he soon had to retire upon his doctor's advice. Recalling how he dealt with his retirement, he said: 'The first few months, I just sat in the window, looking out at the rain, beating down onto the patio, and I'm thinking, 'Is this it? Is this what retirement is about?' "Like I said, I'm a very headstrong person, and I've been involved in team sports all my life, mostly rugby. So you know when you're down, and you know you can do something about it. "So, I decided to... enjoy as much as possible and get out and about if I can. Look after my grandchildren and my wife. 'It was a case of, 'it's not going to get better. So I've got to live with it and work with it'.' It wasn't long before he found solace in his retirement, and found surprising new ways of coping. "I started painting, believe it or not,' he said. 'Another symptom I've got with Parkinson's is insomnia. I don't sleep very well. So I get up at night and I paint, painting by numbers. "I find that quite relaxing. Now that you might think is strange because I've got a tremor. "I tremor most of the time. "So when I actually paint, because your brain tells you to concentrate and you literally go in and you paint, the painting by number is a very fine painting. You don't tremor because you use your brain.' One of his favourite creations is a painting of his wife's grandfather, a World War two veteran. He explained: 'I've got a painting on my wall in my kitchen and it's my wife's grandfather. He was just a couple of days short of 102 before he passed and I painted him and he's sitting in an armchair with his World War two medals across his chest.' Gareth also now helps other people diagnosed with Parkinson's to come to terms with their diagnosis. He explained: 'Funny enough, I actually do talk to people who are recently diagnosed and need help. "They'll come over to my house or they'll phone me. We tend to stick together, belong to a Facebook page for Parkinson's. "We all stick together and we help each other out… talking's the best thing." Newly diagnosed patients often went through similar emotions, he added. "The biggest thing is fear, knowing it's not going to get better, it's going to get worse, and there is no cure. "The tablets I take actually work for me but, believe it or not, they've been out since the '60s annd '70s with all these tablets, they'd been around for years and years, and [doctors working in the field of] Parkinson's are trying to find a cure. "I'm hoping come September to actually go on a trial with my consultant. "I've asked to put my name forward and become a guinea pig, so to speak. Because you've just got to try something, you've just got to give it a go." Gareth has thrown his weight behind fundraising, raising significant funds for Parkinson's charities through quizzes, marathons, and rugby matches. Earlier this month – on May 4 – Gareth raised £8,000 when he underwent a sponsored head shave and wax at the Maltsters Arms pub in Whitchurch, Cardiff. Gareth at the head shave and wax event with his son (Image: Gareth Evans ) He said: 'I'll always help, no matter what charity, and if I am able to do anything, I'll do it. "This last one, this one we've done, all I had to do was sit down and have my hair cut. It was the easiest £8,000 I've ever been involved in making! "I've done charity rugby games as well because, when I was first diagnosed, I wanted to raise some money for Parkinson's, so I organised a rugby game. All the people I've been involved with over the years, coaching, playing with, playing against, they all turned up for me. We raised £1,680 that day. That was just one day. "Another time in work, when I used to work, I used to have a 'fat club', we used to call it the 'Big Boy's Belly Fat Club' and the boys used to pay a pound a week and I would have my scales in work and I'd weigh them and I'd write their weight down on the board to encourage them for next week to come in lighter. "This went on for a couple of years and a lot of people got to know about it. Again, we raised money and it was all sent over to Parkinson's.' This Friday, Gareth is organising an auction in aid of Parkinson's charity, where shirts donated by Wales rugby stars Rhys Patchell and Ben Thomas will go under the hammer. Meanwhile, Gareth wishes people were more aware of Parkinson's and how to approach people with the disease. Gareth before his head shave (Image: Gareth Evans ) Gareth with his head shaved after a charity fundraiser for Parkinson's (Image: Gareth Evans ) He recalled: '(At) Christmas time, I went to watch Cardiff rugby play. I wasn't feeling well. "I couldn't explain why I was feeling like it, but I wasn't very well and I decided to leave the rugby halftime. "My wife was picking me up in town because of my condition. "I became so bad quickly and I didn't know what it was. I had a chest infection as well. "I approached a man in Queen Street and I asked him for help because I was walking with cramps and I was stiff. "I wasn't drunk by any means but this guy thought I was drunk, and I asked him for his help. He gave me the F-word, told me to go away. "It made me cross, because that was the first time that had ever happened. "So I just want people, you know, who haven't got Parkinson's, to just realise when you look at somebody and they're a little bit different to normal, just think to yourself it could be something medical. "It could be something causing that problem. "Give them a chance, there's always a story behind everybody.' In the meantime, Gareth says he's had amazing support from his family. He said: 'My wife, she keeps me motivated. My family, my children, my grandchildren. 'I'm a very lucky man. I've got a fantastic family and I've got a fantastic circle of friends and colleagues. I've been fortunate enough to be recognised in work and I actually went to meet the royal family at a garden party a couple of years ago. ' Gareth added: 'I've got three granddaughters and they're brilliant, six, four, three, and 18 months — nearly two. And my wife looks after them on a Tuesday, they come here to our house every Tuesday and I sit there and I just watch them and it makes me happy because I live through them. 'You look at your children and you... You see them doing well, and you just think to yourself, 'I've done something right in life, having a good family'. That's my unit, what I call my unit. My children.' Article continues below :: To find out more about Parkinson's, visit
