Sheffield couple whose IVF baby died just two days after birth in Jessop Wing seek answers at inquest

Cassian Curry was born on April 3, 2021 at the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust's Jessop Wing maternity unit at 28 weeks, after multiple unsuccessful attempts by his parents to have a child of their own.

He was small but strong and his parents, James and Karolina, say they were told that there were no problems that would affect his survival outside the usual prematurity survival statistics.

However, he sadly died in the early hours of April 5, 2021 and the inquest will look into the treatment at the hospitals trust where he was born.

The parents' solicitor, Fay Marshall, from Switalskis Solicitors, said Cassian required total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and the delivery method decided upon was via umbilical venous catheter (UVC).

The inquest will explore whether the UVC had been incorrectly sited, too close to the heart, and whether there was a failure to review its position and re-site it.

Ms Marshall said Cassian was born on Easter Saturday, and it being a bank holiday weekend, there has been a suggestion of understaffing and a lack of experienced staff over that weekend, which will also be explored at the inquest.

Following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission in March last year, shortly before Cassian's death, the maternity services at the hospital were rated as 'inadequate'.

Further inspections by the CQC in October and November 2021 led to the trust being issued with a Warning Notice under Section 29A of the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

It was again rated ‘inadequate’ on April 5 this year, with inspectors flagging concerns about staffing levels, training and waiting times for pain relief.

Since the Jessop Wing was downgraded to ‘inadequate’ when it was last inspected in March 2021, inspectors found not enough had been done to address some of the concerns identified.

The inquest into Cassian's death will take place from Tuesday (April 19) to Friday (April 22) at Sheffield Coroner's Court and will be heard by coroner Abigail Combes.