Mum 'thought she was going to die' in labour at West London hospital - now her son is disabled for life

Sim Kaur and Fateh.
-Credit: (Image: SWNS)


A mum who thought she was going to die in labour at a hospital in West London has said she feels 'badly let down' following failings in her maternity care which left her son severely disabled. Sim Kaur, 42, lost three pints of blood and suffered a large haemorrhage while giving birth to her son Fateh in August 2018.

An ultrasound revealed that Sim, from Herts, had suffered a uterine rupture and Fateh was born by an emergency C-section at Hillingdon Hospital in Uxbridge, West London. Fateh was born not breathing and was rushed to another hospital for brain cooling.

He began suffering seizures and an MRI scan identified brain damage, and has since been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. As a result, Fateh has a significantly reduced life expectancy to his late 20s. Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust admitted that Sim's rupture should have been avoided.

READ MORE: Teen has leg amputated after 'unacceptable' surgeon Yaser Jabbar operated on him

Fateh and his father Rav
Fateh's parents Sim and Rav have to care for him around the clock with the help of healthcare professionals -Credit:SWNS

Sim, a former HR business partner, said: “When I was in labour, I was in severe pain and kept saying it was getting worse but nobody was listening to me. I felt completely helpless and I thought I was going to die."She continued: "Since then, my mental health has suffered catastrophically. I will never recover from it fully and at some point I’ll lose my son as well. As it is, he can’t walk, talk or eat by himself, and to know that his condition will only deteriorate is heartbreaking."

Sim described the impact on Fateh after his traumatic birth: “My poor boy has been left with a devastating injury which will impact him for the rest of his life, and to find out that this should have been avoided had we received the care we should have and been delivered earlier is heartbreaking. It’s incredibly difficult not to think that when Fateh and I needed help the most, we were badly let down by those who should have looked after us."

She continued: "I really hope that by sharing my story, something is learned from what’s happened. I wouldn’t want any other family suffering in the way we have.” During Sim's labour, doctors reported that baby Fateh's heart rate was normal. She had been scheduled to have a Caesarean section but Fateh moved position and it was decided to opt for a vaginal birth.

However it was later discovered that it had been pathological more than once which would have indicated the need for an urgent delivery. Fateh, who is Sim's second child, was born via C-Section in a very poor condition - he was floppy and pale with no heart rate.

He was discharged home in October 2018 and is now tube fed and receives medication for his seizures and muscle spasms. Fateh remains non-verbal and has undergone gastrostomy surgery to be permanently fed via a tube. He’s also been diagnosed with epilepsy as well as cerebral palsy.

The six-year-old is classified as blind and has been admitted to hospital several times with respiratory symptoms and chest infections. In addition to his physical disabilities, an educational psychologist identified that Fateh has multiple and profound learning difficulties.

He will require an adapted property and a highly qualified care team around the clock to meet his needs. Sim has also been left unable to have any more children.

Fateh and his brother
Hillingdon Hospital has apologised to the family and will be offering them compensation to cover Fateh's care costs -Credit:SWNS

Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust admitted liability for Fateh’s injuries and it accepted that the management of his delivery 'was not of an appropriate standard'. It also acknowledged that there was 'a delay' in her maternity care, expressing 'profound regret'.

Irwin Mitchell is now working with the Trust to agree settlements for Sim and Fateh to ensure he has access to the lifelong care and support he will require. Sim is sharing her son’s story to raise awareness of cerebral palsy. She’s also calling for lessons to be learned to improve maternity safety for families.

Auriana Griffiths, the specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: “What should have been a happy time turned to trauma and despair for Sim, who continues to be greatly affected physically and mentally by what happened to her and Fateh and following Fateh’s cerebral palsy diagnosis. Through our work, we sadly see too many families left devastated by birth injuries and life-long consequences these can have."

Griffiths continued: “While we welcome the Hospital Trust’s admissions, it’s vital that lessons are learned to improve maternity safety and prevent other families from going through what Sim and Fateh have. Sadly, Fateh’s life expectancy is significantly reduced due to his condition, but we’re determined to help him and Sim get the specialist support they need.”

A spokesperson for the Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "Our Trust is extremely sorry for the errors made during Ms Kaur’s labour and the delivery of her baby. We strive to provide the best possible care for all patients and it is of great regret to us when this is not the case."

The spokesperson continued: "We have acknowledged the impact this will have had upon the family and made immediate payment to provide the initial equipment and therapies to support them. Additional matters are ongoing and we are unable therefore to comment further at this time."

Don't miss out on the biggest West London news. Sign up to our MyWestLondon newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more.