Midwives Win £750k Over Laughing Gas Exposure

Midwives and maternity staff at Basildon University Hospital have been awarded almost £750,000 in compensation following prolonged exposure to high levels of nitrous oxide. The gas, commonly known as laughing gas, is used for pain relief during childbirth but poses health risks to staff with long-term exposure.

Between 2021 and 2023, poor maternity unit ventilation and leaking gas lines at the hospital exposed over 120 workers, including many Royal College of Midwives (RCM) members, to dangerous levels of the substance. These staff members reported debilitating symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, brain fog, and anxiety.

Legal action, spearheaded by Thompsons Solicitors and supported by the trade union, resulted in a settlement of nearly £750,000. An independent review conducted two years ago by the Good Governance Institute found that the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust exhibited an "unacceptable delay" in its response to the identified risks. The trust was aware of the dangers in 2021 but did not inform staff until the following year, with safety measures only implemented a year after that.

The RCM has hailed the settlement as a "landmark" achievement, emphasizing that the case pertains to working conditions and not the safety of gas and air for patients during labor. The union is calling for urgent government investment to upgrade maternity buildings nationwide, addressing issues such as failing ventilation and outdated facilities to ensure safer working environments for all maternity staff.