| Pregnant woman at Yarl's Wood denied hospital scan despite baby scare Theresa Diedericks, 26, had to get two high court orders for full check-up after midwife could not find foetal heartbeatA pregnant woman detained at Yarl's Wood immigration centre who was told by a midwife she could not find her baby's heartbeat was refused a scan for four days despite repeated requests and a high court order.Theresa Diedericks, 26, a South African who has suffered from anxiety and depression since a miscarriage last year, was panic-stricken and believed her baby was dead.Despite her growing anxiety, she says, it took a second court order before staff from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) finally took her to hospital for a scan. Michael Randle, her British fiancé and the father of her unborn child, said he was "appalled" at the medical treatment she received and was considering civil proceedings against the Home Office, UKBA and the medical staff at Yarl's Wood."When the midwife told her she couldn't find a heartbeat she asked for a scan, but was told she didn't need one and everything was normal. She was crying, she was panic-stricken. We had lost one child already. She thought the baby was dead."I'm an ex-policeman and I know that in the detention centres in South Africa the treatment is better than here. This is a country that prides itself on human rights, but we ignore human rights in these places. It's disgusting. I'm appalled to call myself British."Before being detained Diedericks had been booked for a 12-week scan on 21 September at James Cook University hospital in Middlesbrough but was told by UKBA she would be treated at Bedford hospital instead.On 24 September she was examined by a midwife at Yarl's Wood who told her she was unable to detect a heartbeat using a foetal monitor.Diedericks had been previously told she may never have children after having a growth removed from her womb seven months ago. She said: "I called Michael and both of us freaked out. We thought we'd lost our second child. It was a miracle and to be told that you are losing your miracle child, it's not what you want to think about."The couple spoke to their lawyer, who got an emergency injunction from a high court judge the next day, 25 September, instructing UKBA to take her to hospital for a scan. Nothing happened.Diedericks said: "When they ignored the order that was even more upsetting. I thought: 'Now I know something is wrong. Why are they holding back, why are they refusing?' It was nerve-racking."Two days later, after complaining about a worrying discharge, she said she was seen not at a hospital but by the detention centre GP, who told her there was a small possibility that the baby was dead but that she should "write down all her good and bad thought to get rid of the stress". UKBA has said there are no records of the GP saying the baby might be dead.Another strongly worded high court injunction to take her to hospital immediately was obtained that Monday evening.It was not until the following day, Tuesday 28 September, that she was taken for a scan. The baby was alive but Diedericks was told it was "very active" which can be a sign of stress. She was also found to be suffering from a urinary tract infection.According to her lawyer, who is pursuing a judicial review into her case, Diedericks was wrongly advised to claim asylum when her visa ran out earlier this year and now the Home Office is insisting she go back to South Africa in order to make an application to come back to her fiancé. Diedericks came to Britain with Randle, who returned home from South Africa to look after his sick father.The couple's lawyer, Rebecca French at Halliday Reeves, said: "It's scandalous that a pregnant woman should ever be detained. But she should receive the same level of medical treatment as a woman outside the detention centre. None of the three judges I've spoken to had any doubt that she needed reassurance."Alan Kittle, director of detention services at UKBA, said: "We categorically refute any allegations of wrongdoing in this case. Our healthcare professionals at Yarl's Wood provided Ms Diedericks with appropriate care at all times."Ms Diedericks received the same treatment any other pregnant lady would receive in the community. She was seen by a nurse on arrival, a GP the following day and a midwife within three days. None of them had any concerns about the wellbeing of her or her baby. She was also seen by a gynaecology specialist at Bedford hospital who equally reported no concerns."We take the welfare of detainees at our centres very seriously and all have access to healthcare 24 hours a day. Additional services are provided at Yarl's Wood and these include a midwife, health visitor and paediatrician."Immigration and asylumPrisons and probationPregnancyHealthKaren McVeighguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Former Man City boss Allison dies Malcolm Allison, the coach who inspired Manchester City during their successful period in the late 1960s, dies at the age of 83. news.bbc.co.uk |
Britons tighten belts to hand onto little luxuries One in three people have tightened their belts on essentials to hang onto little luxuries, including gym memberships and television subscriptions, according to research by insurer LV=. telegraph.co.uk |
Britain goes from dystopia to Arcadia in six months | Simon Hoggart's sketch While we will be eating caviar as a mid-morning snack, other countries will be wandering down trains with a paper cupThe economic figures are looking good, the recovery is more or less on track, and George Osborne allowed himself a mini-gloatette in the Commons yesterday when he made his autumn statement.I was reminded strongly of a previous chancellor, who also painted a picture of Britain in glowing, sun-drenched colours. When you listened to Gordon Brown, you felt that we lived in a new Arcadia, a land where happy folk, secure in their jobs and incomes, look forward to a golden future, compared to the miserable wretches who live elsewhere.Why, according to George, our growth rate was predicted over the next few years to be higher than Germany, France, Japan, the US, the eurozone and the EU as a whole.While we will be living in palaces and eating caviar as a mid-morning snack, those other countries will be wandering down trains with a mangy dog and a paper cup, begging for the price of a cup of tea.What was more, his figures were from the OBR, the office of budget responsibility – an independent body! They happen to have painted the same lush landscapes Gordon Brown used to depict.Mr Osborne got, perhaps, a little carried away. As the deficit went down, we were going to save £19bn more than had been forecast. That was £19bn that wouldn't be going to private bond-holders and foreign governments. (Boo, hiss, bond-holders and foreigners. British debt for British debtors!). The theme was that the government had done everything right at exactly the right time. They had taken "decisive" action; I lost track of how many times he used that word. There was a slight problem, in that he had followed the Irish course while, over the past few years, lavishly praising the Irish government. He adopted a cunning response to MPs who pointed this out. He ignored them."The plan is working!" he cried. He sounded like Goldfinger. You half-expected him to add: "And you, Mr Bond, will be dead. Now if you will excuse me, I have important business in hand."Alan Johnson, who followed, was rumbustious and effective. Mr Osborne had taken an "unprecedented gamble". "The chancellor is in the casino, but he hasn't spun the wheel yet!" he said. Things were not looking up. Instead they were looking down. Estimates of growth might be good, but not as good as they had been."Growth is going south!" he barked. And the rise in VAT would increase unemployment by 250,000.But if he was pessimistic, Andrew Tyrie, who chairs the Treasury select committee, was positively glum. The savings ratio had halved, he said, miserably. Never invite this man to your party. He would arrive in a black cape, halt the merrymaking, and announce that a team of traffic wardens was working outside. And that more than one unit of alcohol during the evening would cause lasting health damage.George OsborneEconomic policySimon Hoggartguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Higher electricity prices on the way amid freezing temperatures Households are being warned to expect higher electricity bills. telegraph.co.uk |