NHS apologises after mum suffered fourth-degree perineal tear during birth

NHS Lanarkshire has been forced to apologise after a mum suffered a fourth-degree perineal tear during childbirth.

The woman’s complaint claimed that her care involved a forceps delivery, which caused “significant injury”. She said she also had to have surgery to repair the tear.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman found that the care and treatment were reasonable, but the health board’s communication with the patient was not.

The watchdog found that doctors should have done a better job of communicating with the mum-to-be and of obtaining her consent to use the forceps for the birth.

The ombudsman also said that the board failed to handle the mother’s complaint properly and that its response was not “reasonably clear”.

It said there were “significant delays” in the board’s communication with the patient about her complaint.

Stephen Peebles, interim director of NHS Lanarkshire’s acute services, said: “We fully accept the report and have already actioned all the Ombudsman’s recommendations, including writing to the complainant to apologise.”