Key facts
- Poppy Russell died in April 2021 at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, 12 hours after birth.
- Her mother, Katie Russell, was blamed by the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust (SaTH) for the death, but an inquest found it preventable.
- The inquest concluded that Katie Russell was not untruthful about refusing foetal monitoring.
- Neil and Katie Russell have developed 'Poppy's Promise,' a four-principle care initiative: Compassion, Acknowledgement, Respect, and Empowerment.
- SaTH is implementing 'Poppy's Promise' across its 8,000 staff and incorporating it into hiring.
- Other NHS organizations and universities have contacted the couple to explore adopting Poppy's Promise.
Neil and Katie Russell are collaborating with the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust (SaTH) to integrate compassionate care principles into the National Health Service following the preventable death of their daughter, Poppy, in April 2021. Poppy died just 12 hours after birth at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford. Her mother, Katie, had expressed a fear of natural birth and a desire for a cesarean section, but was reportedly told she could not simply request one. During labor, Katie stated she received inadequate monitoring and care, leading to Poppy developing a hypoxic brain injury. The trust initially blamed Katie for the death, a claim later refuted by an inquest which concluded the care failings were preventable and that Katie had not refused foetal monitoring.
Following the inquest in 2023, SaTH acknowledged failings and apologized for the care provided. The couple's experience of neglect and alleged cover-up by staff motivated them to create 'Poppy's Promise,' a set of four care principles: Compassion, Acknowledgement, Respect, and Empowerment. This initiative aims to ensure patients are treated as individuals and involved in their care.
SaTH is now implementing 'Poppy's Promise' across its 8,000 staff members and has incorporated a question about compassionate care into its recruitment processes. Midwifery ward manager Tasha Simmons highlighted the importance of focusing on the woman's journey, not the healthcare provider's workload. Emergency medicine consultant Dr. Adrian Marsh acknowledged the challenges of compassion fatigue among staff due to high pressure and competing demands, but noted research suggesting compassionate care leads to better patient outcomes.
The Russells' initiative has garnered interest from other NHS organizations and universities looking to adopt 'Poppy's Promise' into their teaching programs, with the ultimate goal of embedding compassionate care throughout the health service.