Ex-Croydon health director sues NHS over son's brain damage
9:10am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Where I Live By Nick Hitchens
Dr Tim Crayford, on the right, is suing Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
A former NHS health boss is suing Croydon University Hospital for negligence after his son was born with brain damage.
Dr Tim Crayford, who served as Croydon Primary Care Trust’s Director of Public Health for six years, is suing Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, which runs Croydon University Hospital for more than £300,000 on behalf of his son.
William Crayford was born by caesarean section just after 5am on March 20, 2010, and suffered a large brain haemorrhage after he sustained venous thrombosis.
It is believed this was due to lack of oxygen.
Due to his age it is not known yet how the damage will affect William’s mobility and behaviour.
In a writ issued at the High Court, Dr Crayford, of Croham Park Avenue, Croydon, contends the midwives at Croydon University Hospital, then Mayday Hospital, were negligent during William’s birth and should have conducted a caesarean almost an hour and a half earlier than was done so.
The writ lists a catalogue of failures by the midwives to take notice of signs of trouble and act.
Dr Crayford, who left Croydon PCT in 2008 and now works as chief medical advisor for Just Retirement, is claiming the midwives should have acted sooner when William’s mother Wendy O’Neill began to have complications during the birth.
Unusual heart rates recorded at just after 1.40am and after 2pm were not acted upon, he states, and an obstetrician was not called.
It was not until 3.20am obstetric staff were spoken to and just after 4am an examination discovered problems with the child’s positioning, leading to the decision to perform a caesarean.
A clinical negligence letter sent to the family in response to complaints states: "the Trust accepts that there was a failure to manage Ms O’Neill’s labour correctly and that William should have been delivered by 3.45am. Accordingly breach of duty is admitted."
Dr Crayford, who has also worked as Chief Medical Advisor for the Department of Transport, Medical Director for Norfolk Community NHS Trust, confirmed he was suing the trust but declined to comment further.
A spokesman for Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said: "The Trust has received Court proceedings in this case.
"The matter is in the hands of the Trust's solicitors and it is therefore not appropriate for us to comment any further."
