AvMA panel member, Oliver Thorne, highlights the crucial role that medical negligence claims play in helping families access vital rehabilitation services following maternity negligence, giving them the best chance of rebuilding their lives.
Medical Negligence in Maternity Care
Although maternity care demands expert medical treatment for both mother and baby, mistakes do sadly occur during pregnancy, labour, and the crucial postnatal period; mistakes that can result in life-changing injuries. When this happens, making a medical negligence claim can serve not only as a pathway to financial compensation, but also as a vital mechanism for securing high-quality rehabilitation and specialist care.
Negligence in maternity care can arise in a variety forms, including:
- Failure to monitor fetal distress
- Delayed diagnosis of complications such as pre-eclampsia or infections
- Mistakes during labour or delivery, including improper use of forceps or failure to perform a timely caesarean section
- Poor postnatal care for mother or baby, leading to avoidable harm
These failures can have devastating consequences, such as cerebral palsy, brain injury, and conditions resulting from oxygen deprivation. For families affected by such outcomes, accessing the right rehabilitation and support is critical, but it can be financially and logistically challenging without professional legal assistance. Without specialist legal intervention, families are often left facing long NHS waiting lists, limited therapy provision, and mounting debt.
The Importance of the Legal Process in Accessing Rehabilitation Services Following Maternity Negligence
An experienced medical negligence solicitor can enable families to access and obtain funding for specialist rehabilitation services that are often beyond the reach of NHS provision but nevertheless essential for improving long-term outcomes and quality of life.
These rehabilitation services include:
- Specialist therapies such as physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy for children with birth injuries
- Psychological support and counselling for mothers recovering from traumatic births or surgical injuries
- Adaptive equipment and home modifications to improve day-to-day living
- Case management services to coordinate ongoing rehabilitation and care needs
The Benefits of Early Rehabilitation
Early rehabilitation can be especially important in maternity-related cases. Timely intervention can not only enhance developmental outcomes and improve the life chances of those who have been injured but it can often reduce future care needs. This not only benefits the patient but also reduces the overall financial burden on the compensator, as effective rehabilitation can lower the cost of long-term care and support.
The Role of Case Managers in Complex Maternity Claims
Where injuries are complex and long-term — as is often the case with serious birth injuries or maternal trauma — rehabilitation planning benefits from the involvement of a professional case manager, through companies such as Blue Skies Case Management and Care. These specialists ensure that care and therapy plans are individually tailored and effectively implemented.
A case manager’s role includes:
- Assessing the medical, therapeutic, and social care needs of the mother and/or child
- Coordinating treatment, equipment provision, and family support services
- Monitoring progress and adapting rehabilitation plans as necessary
- Liaising with solicitors, medical experts, schools, and therapists to ensure holistic care
This proactive, collaborative approach maximises the effectiveness of rehabilitation and helps families navigate the complex recovery process.
The cost of employing a case manager can be substantial, but this is an expense that can be budgeted for and funded within the legal claim.
Supporting Families on the Road to Recovery
AvMA panel member and medical negligence specialist Oliver Thorne, who heads the clinical negligence team at Slee Blackwell Solicitors, sums up:
“When medical mistakes occur in maternity care, the impact can be devastating — not just for the mother and baby but for the entire family. Clinical negligence claims play a vital role in securing the resources needed for proper rehabilitation, early intervention, and long-term support. By providing access to specialist therapies and case management, the legal process ensures that families can focus on making the best recovery possible.”
Contact us for a free consultation about accessing rehabilitation services following maternity negligence.