Father tells of struggles after newborn baby loss

The devastated parents of baby Zach - Tim and Hannah Taylor-Smith - want to raise public awareness of the Group B Step condition for which Zach lost his life.

By Nigel Slater – Local Democracy Reporting Service

The heartbroken father of a baby who died in Derby just hours after birth says “more needs to be done” to ensure other families do not suffer a similar tragedy.

Tim Taylor-Smith and his partner Hannah’s son Zac died just 14 hours after being born at Royal Derby Hospital, with the newborn suffering from breathing difficulties.

Mr Taylor-Smith has told of his family’s struggles in coping with their loss amid the publication of an action plan to prevent future infant deaths across the county.

The Taylor-Smiths said Zac’s death from the life-threatening condition called Group B Strep in November 2022 and the difficult moments that followed “will never leave them”.

Group B Strep is a common condition for pregnant women but can be very serious for newborn babies.

However, the inquest into his death heard how Tim and Hannah had not been made aware of it until Zac passed away.

Coroner Susan Evans stated there had been several “missed opportunities” by hospital staff which could have prevented Zac’s death.

Hospital chiefs said they were “deeply sorry” for failures and have since been working very closely with the family to make improvements within maternity care and signpost risks.

The couple have stated how “everyday is a struggle” for them in coping with the loss.

Mr Taylor-Smith said: “Losing Zac has had a profound and lasting effect on both of us. While we have found ways to cope and move forward, it is something that never leaves you.”

This month, a Derby City Council health meeting saw officials outline an action plan on reducing infant mortality.

A new council report states the infant mortality rate in Derby is “significantly higher than that of England” because some areas of the city have high levels of deprivation – one of the major factors in child deaths.

The result is an action plan to help prevent future risks and has the ultimate aim of lowering infant mortality rates as much as possible.

Some of the actions include developing a “healthy pregnancy” checklist for women and GPs. The checklist promotes “consistent assessment, clear messaging, and shared understanding of risk factors and available support”.

The plan has also seen the development of a “standardised postnatal check template” which has been circulated into a number of medical practices.

While broadly welcomed by Mr Taylor-Smith, he said there were still “clear gaps” in the action plan that needed addressing.

He added: “From our perspective, any action plan aimed at reducing infant mortality is welcome.

“In our experience, and from speaking with many other bereaved families, there are still clear gaps in consistency of care, early identification of risk, and communication with parents.

“If this action plan leads to tangible, measurable change, then it is a step in the right direction. But there is still more that needs to be done to ensure fewer families have to go through what we did.”

In his own bid to help others, the heartbroken father has now launched a ‘Fit To Grieve’ project which explores grief from a father’s perspective and how improving fitness can help them cope with the loss of a child.

Mr Taylor-Smith, who is running the London Marathon next month, said: “In the early months after Zac died, I realised how differently fathers often experience grief. Many of us keep moving, keep working, trying to hold everything together quietly.

“Fit To Grieve exists because many fathers carry grief in silence. If one dad reads something and realises he isn’t alone, then it’s doing its job.”