Family thanks after baby is born following crash on the way to hospital

A couple have praised staff at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) for their treatment and care after their baby was born by emergency Caesarean following a car crash which happened while they were on their way to hospital – leaving them both with badly broken ankles.

Ginny Magrath and Mike Roberts were travelling to the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford from their home near Oswestry when the collision happened near Knockin.

The couple both suffered badly broken ankles in the crash, with Mike being taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) for treatment and Ginny taken to PRH so that her unborn baby could be monitored.

It was there that the decision was taken for Ginny to have an emergency C-section, with the couple’s baby – Amber Harriet Roberts – being delivered safely four weeks early.

All three are still in hospital and have praised staff not only for the treatment they have received, but also for the care shown to them to ensure the family could be together.

Ginny, who works in Pathology at RSH, said: “I’d had some reduced movement, so we called triage at PRH and they told us to come in for a check-up. We were on our way to Telford when the crash happened.

“It was really scary and I was obviously concerned for Amber and for Mike. Mike was taken to RSH and I was taken to PRH. They monitored me, and the baby’s heart rate was up and down, so they said the safest thing was to perform the emergency C-section.

“I was very apprehensive, but the team were all fantastic. The anaesthetist talked to me throughout the whole procedure and kept me distracted and made the whole process so much easier.

“Amber is doing really well. She seems to be doing everything at 100mph. It’s almost like she knows Mike and I need her!”

Meanwhile, doctors at RSH were preparing to admit Mike so that he could have an operation on his ankle. But staff did not want to split the family up and so made arrangements for Mike to be moved to PRH.

Ginny said: “The Consultant at RSH said he really didn’t want to separate us, so he spoke to the Consultant at PRH and arranged for Mike to come to Telford and have his operation and recovery here.”

The move meant that Mike has been able to go to the Postnatal Ward to see Ginny and Amber, who is the couple’s first child, and Ginny has been able to go to Ward 4 to visit Mike.

Ginny said: “From what was a really scary time, the whole experience has just been so positive. The care we have had could not have been any better and I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been involved in our treatment and in going the extra mile to make sure Mike and I could be together as much as possible.”

Jo Banks, Women and Children’s Care Group Director at SaTH, said: “We are delighted that what started out as such a frightening incident has had such a positive outcome for Ginny, Mike and baby Amber.

“Everyone involved in their care really has shown that they live our Trust’s Values and should be very proud of themselves.

“We wish Mike and Ginny a speedy recovery and wish them all the best for their future.”