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A NINE-YEAR-OLD Amesbury boy, born acutely brain-damaged after a traumatic delivery at Salisbury District Hospital, is in line for a large compensation payout after a High Court hearing on Monday.

Thomas Young, who lives in Carpenter Drive, Boscombe Down, has severe cerebral palsy, which his lawyers blamed on the disastrous delay in treating his mother Susan when she was rushed to hospital in September 1998.

Mrs Young started to bleed and was taken to hospital by ambulance, but she was put in a cubicle in the A&E department and left alone for 17 minutes, even though her condition was a medical emergency. She suffered a placental abruption - where the placenta breaks away.


"Considerable delay"


Susan Rodway QC, representing Thomas, said she had no criticisms of the speed with which Mrs Young was transported to Salisbury District Hospital but said: "Unfortunately, once she got to hospital, she languished until doctors woke up to the emergency."

Mrs Young waited another seven minutes until she was seen by a doctor and transferred to the labour ward. Doctors decided to do an emergency caesarean but there was another ten-minute delay before she was taken to theatre at 1.05am.

At 1.15am the baby's heartbeat could not be detected, but he was not delivered until 1.30am, which his legal team said was too long when he was clinically dead.

The barrister said that although Salisbury Healthcare NHS Trust admitted breach of duty in relation to the "considerable delay" in Thomas's emergency delivery, it maintained that had not caused his devastating injuries, as the damage was already done.

Defence counsel, Neil Block QC, said that, while the Trust had admitted breach of duty, the issue of the true cause of Thomas's disabilities remained in dispute.

But he said the compensation package agreed between the Trust and the family would provide Thomas with "real security for the future", while stressing: "Money will never replace what Thomas and his family have lost."

Mr Block paid tribute to the loving and dedicated care Thomas's parents provided, as did Miss Rodway, who said the Youngs had struggled through adversity to provide Thomas with exquisite and unstinting care'.

Mr Justice Henriques unhesitatingly approved the agreed settlement and commended Thomas' parents for their devotion.


Millions paid in similar cases


Salisbury solicitors Trethowans were claiming the cost of care, transport, aids and appliances, technological support, travel and holidays, therapies, accommodation, loss of earnings, psychological and educational transport and the cost of the Public Guardian, who will administer the damages award the youngster receives.

The amount of damages has been kept confidential, but the payout is likely to be very substantial. Millions of pounds have been awarded in similar cerebral palsy cases.

10:55am Wednesday 23rd April 2008

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