£5,000 for mum burned in childbirth

Mary Ann Pattern, 20, was in labour at Scarborough Hospital when midwives decided her baby would have to be delivered by caesarean section.

But during the operation, a pair of tongs fell onto Miss Pattern’s calves, causing two large burns.

At the time she didn’t feel anything as she had had an epidural - and she says the only reason staff realised something had happened was the smell of burning flesh.

Having had two miscarriages she was initally more concerned about her new-born baby daughter Tallulah-Ann, but she says during her three-day stay in hospital the burns were not properly dressed and she wasn’t given clear guidance on how to treat them.

Once she was back at her home they started to cause Miss Pattern, who is from Bridlington, severe pain.

She went to the Bridlington Minor Injuries Unit where she was immediately given antibiotics, as the burns had become infected.

Miss Pattern was later referred to the plastic surgery department at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and is receiving on-going scar massage and silicone therapy to heal the wounds, although she still has two scars between one and a half and two and a half centimetres in diameter.

Miss Pattern, who lives on The Crayke, in the resort, said: “I’ve still got scars and I am very, very wary of hospitals.

“I am so glad I have my daughter but the pain caused by the burns was absolute agony.”

Miss Pattern sought legal advice from Neil Hudgell Solicitors and has now received compensation of £5,000 from Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust.

A spokeswoman for the trust said: “We have apologised to Miss Pattern and are pleased that we have been able to reach an amicable settlement. We wish her well for the future.”