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Multiple inquiries ordered into death of baby in UK prison | Multiple inquiries ordered into death of baby in UK prison |
(32 minutes later) | |
Eleven separate investigations have been launched into the death of a newborn baby at Britain’s largest female prison after the mother gave birth alone in her cell. | |
The prisons minister, Lucy Frazer, announced on Tuesday that she had instructed the prisons and probation ombudsman (PPO) to carry out an overarching independent review into the circumstances of the baby’s death. | |
A further 10 investigations are under way, including internal reviews at the privately run HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, an NHS clinical review, an inquest and two police investigations. | |
Questions have been raised about how the woman came to be without medical support during the birth, and the case has put the spotlight on the broader provisions for pregnant women in prison. | |
The PPO, an independent body that investigates deaths in prisons and detention centres, had previously said it was not investigating the baby’s death as it was not part of its remit. The police are carrying out a major crimes investigation and a safeguarding investigation. | The PPO, an independent body that investigates deaths in prisons and detention centres, had previously said it was not investigating the baby’s death as it was not part of its remit. The police are carrying out a major crimes investigation and a safeguarding investigation. |
Frazer said she had been informed by Bronzefield’s governor that since the death the prison had introduced hourly checks throughout the night for all pregnant women and fortnightly reviews for all pregnant women involving a multidisciplinary team. “That’s happening throughout the female prisoner estate,” she added. | |
Bronzefield, run by Sodexo Justice Services, is Europe’s largest female prison, holding up to 557 inmates. Concerns have been raised previously about care for pregnant prisoners, and the prison has previously been criticised for transferring prisoners to hospital at a late stage in labour. | |
Dr Kate Paradine, the chief executive of the charity Women in Prison, said: “Today’s announcement doesn’t go far enough. This is not the first time a tragedy like this has happened and it certainly won’t be the last without urgent action. | |
“The government can’t even tell us how many women in prison are pregnant and how many babies are born in prison. At the very least they need to publish this data, but the real question is why pregnant mothers are in prison at all. We call on the government to introduce deferred sentencing for pregnant women and urgently prioritise investment in women’s centres, social housing, education and healthcare.” | |
Deborah Coles, the director of Inquest, said: “There must be the most robust scrutiny of how this tragic death was able to happen and involve the relevant independent expertise on maternity care. It is vital that the family are able to fully participate and that the findings are made public.” | Deborah Coles, the director of Inquest, said: “There must be the most robust scrutiny of how this tragic death was able to happen and involve the relevant independent expertise on maternity care. It is vital that the family are able to fully participate and that the findings are made public.” |
Naomi Delap, the director of Birth Companions, said the introduction of closer monitoring of pregnant women was welcome but care should be taken to ensure that the hourly overnight checks did not compromise women’s wellbeing. | |
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