UK Hospital Trust Pays £750,000 to Midwives Exposed to Nitrous Oxide

More than 120 midwives and maternity staff at Basildon University Hospital have been awarded nearly £750,000 in compensation after being exposed to high levels of nitrous oxide. The compound, commonly known as laughing gas, is used for pain relief during labor.

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) stated that staff were exposed to the gas between 2021 and 2023 due to inadequate ventilation on the maternity unit and leaking gas lines. Midwives reported experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, brain fog, and anxiety.

The RCM initiated legal action on behalf of over 120 workers, resulting in a settlement of approximately £750,000. Daniel Poet, from the RCM's solicitors Thompsons, highlighted that the trust was aware of the dangers in 2021 but did not inform staff until the following year, and safety measures were not implemented for another year.

An independent review conducted in 2024 by the Good Governance Institute found an "unacceptable delay" by the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust. The review concluded that midwives and other staff were exposed to unnecessary risk and potential harm, and that the high levels of gas on the wards should have been treated as a significant health risk when concerns were first raised in July 2021.

Gill Walton, head of the RCM, described the settlement as a "landmark" that should prompt all NHS employers to take notice. She emphasized that the case concerned the working conditions of midwives and not the safety of nitrous oxide for patients during labor.

Walton also pointed to the broader issue of inadequate facilities in UK hospitals, stating that many midwives work in units with failing ventilation, leaking equipment, and outdated infrastructure. She called for urgent government investment to upgrade maternity buildings across the country, asserting that "safe workplaces mean safe care."

Louise Crosby, chief nursing and quality officer for Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, acknowledged that the trust should have acted more quickly to address the issues and extended an apology to the affected staff. The trust has since improved its oversight of medical gas monitoring within the maternity unit at Basildon Hospital.