A hospital trust has issued an apology to the parents of a baby who was mistakenly fed another mother’s breast milk whilst in their care.
Parents, Melissa and Callum expressed their disappointment with the care their son Milo received at Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) and Leicester General Hospital (LGH) after he was born prematurely at just 26 weeks.
The issues arose in March this year, when Milo was mistakenly given stored breast milk from a different mother on three separate occasions.
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL), responsible for both hospitals, has since apologised and confirmed that procedural changes have been implemented.
Mum, Melissa explained:
“Milo was fed another mother’s breast milk, not just once, but three times.”
“I was terrified he might contract an infection. There are so many risks with other people’s bodily fluids.”
Speaking to the BBC, she said that this traumatising experience caused her significant anxiety, to the point where her own milk supply dwindled.
She explained that the milk, delivered to Milo via a syringe from a bottle, was mistakenly labelled with both Melissa’s name and that of another mother on the ward. The hospital later determined the milk was not hers.
But when she quizzed hospital staff, she received ‘unsettling’ responses about Milo’s future care during ward rounds.
She said:
“A consultant told me we were being transferred to LGH because the junior staff were afraid to approach me due to my frequent questions.”
“Throughout our time there, I was repeatedly labelled as angry, unapproachable, and scary.”
UHL later apologised, admitting that their staff “lacked the skills” to fully support her. After a few weeks at LGH, Melissa noticed Milo showing signs of illness.
X-rays and sepsis screenings were conducted, all of which came back clear.
However, during a staff handover on May 25, she overheard nurses discussing the disposal of breast milk that had been defrosted more than 72 hours earlier, despite NHS guidelines recommending immediate use of defrosted milk.
Melissa recounted:
“I confronted the doctor who conducted the screenings, asking if the milk could be the cause of Milo’s symptoms. His non-committal response only reinforced my belief that the milk had been used the night before.”
In response to Milo’s case, UHL announced a broader review of their breast milk handling procedures.
Milo was eventually transferred to Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham for further care and was discharged on July 7.
Julie Hogg, UHL’s chief nurse, said:
“We deeply regret that Milo and his family did not receive the standard of care we aim to provide and for the distress they endured as a result.”
“We have thoroughly investigated their concerns, made procedural changes, and shared these lessons with both the staff involved in Milo’s care and the wider department.”
“This includes improvements in how we store, label, and check breast milk.”
“I want to thank Milo’s family for bringing these issues to our attention, which has led to positive changes in our practices and how we engage with families.”
Medical negligence
If you’ve been a victim of medical negligence, we have the expertise to seek rightful compensation on your behalf. Oakwood’s medical negligence solicitors are here to advise and support you and your family throughout the claims process and beyond.
How to make a claim?
If you feel that you or a loved one has been affected as a result of medical negligence, then you may be entitled to bring about a compensation claim.
The team at Oakwood Solicitors Ltd will be able to give you free advice on the prospects of your case and whether you would be eligible to make a claim.
Who can bring a claim?
The victim of the negligence can bring about a claim in their own right. However, it may also be the case that the victim has passed away as a result of the negligence or has suffered so severely that they are unable to bring about a claim as they no longer have the capacity.
In such circumstances, a claim can be brought about on their behalf either by an appropriate person or litigation friend if the victim is still with us or by the executor of the estate of the surviving dependant if the victim has passed.
Our specialist team will be able to discuss whether you have a right to bring about a claim so if you or a loved one has been affected do not hesitate to contact us.
How long do I have to make a claim?
Claims of this nature are subject to a three-year limitation period. This means that claims have to be commenced within the Courts within three years of rather the date the negligent act occurred or the date you became aware that negligence had occurred.
In cases involving deceased victims, this limitation period commences from the date of death and in cases involving minors, the limitation period starts when they reach their 18th birthday.
The law surrounding limitation periods is complex. Our specialist team will be able to advise further. Please do not delay, contact our specialist team as soon as possible.
How much is my claim worth?
It is often difficult to value Negligence claims at their outset, given the complexities involved however we will pursue two forms of compensation for you:
- General damages – An award of money for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of the negligence.
- Special damages – An award for all of your out-of-pocket expenses such as travel expenses, medication costs, loss of earnings, and treatment costs both past and future.
This list is not exhaustive and is very case-specific. Our specialist team will be able to advise further.
Why should I use Oakwood Solicitors Ltd?
We have a dedicated team of solicitors and paralegals who have many years of experience running cases of this nature. They are highly trained to deal with all aspects of clinical and medical negligence.
Oakwood Solicitors Ltd wishes to ensure that clients are not overwhelmed by legal jargon or medical terms that they don’t understand and aims to allow the claims procedure to be as transparent as possible.
Further reading
Hospital negligence – Oakwood Solicitors
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Jade Glover is a Solicitor in the Medical Negligence team. She has worked for the company for over 9 years and completed her training during that time. She has specialised in Personal Injury clai…
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