Derek Richford is 61 and Harry Richford’s grandfather. Harry died in November 2017 at just 7 days old following gross failings at the East Kent Hospitals Trust. Derek runs his own business in East Kent.

Derek investigated Harry’s death and despite the hospital being wholly obstructive, he managed to discover that his grandson had died due to gross systemic failings at the Trust. He managed to secure an inquest which, in January 2020 found that there had been 7 gross failings which amounted to neglect. The coroner then made a Prevention of Future Deaths report with no less than 19 recommendations.

Since that time the government arranged reports from the CQC and HSIB and, as a result, put in a top team led by Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent England’s first Chief Midwifery Officer. As a direct result of Harry’s case, NHS England instructed Dr Bill Kirkup to carry out a full inquiry into East Kent’s maternity services, which will be published on September 21^st 2022.

In April 2021, the CQC prosecuted the East Kent Hospitals Trust for unsafe care and treatment of Harry and his mother Sarah, the first prosecution of its kind in the UK. The Trust pleaded guilty and were fined £1.1 million, discounted by one third due to the guilty plea.

More details on the Richford family’s case can be found at www.harrysstory.co.uk