Coronation Street fans were left distraught after witnessing a distressing scene that threw light on significant issues faced in hospitals. During Monday’s episode, Dee-Dee Bailey, played by Channique Sterling-Brown, was agonisingly stricken with pain while visiting Lauren Bolton and her baby Frankie in hospital.
Initially believing she was experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions, Dee-Dee was urged by Lauren to seek medical attention in the maternity ward. Despite her evident anguish, her concerns were not properly addressed by the healthcare staff, although her high blood pressure was recorded by the nurses.
Following cursory checks, she was instructed to return home for rest. Upon calling her friend Alya, she was told she should not have been discharged.
In a dramatic turn of events, Dee-Dee’s water broke shortly afterwards, compelling her to rush back to the hospital with her father Ed and brothers James and Michael. Upon arrival, they were horrified to find no available beds, and a white midwife insensitively commented, “Women like you are built for this”.
Disgusted by the remark, Ed sought help from a Black midwife who immediately took action, with a doctor swiftly coming to Dee-Dee’s aid afterwards. She was then diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and informed about the urgent need to deliver her baby, reports the Mirror.
The situation temporarily settled down, but when Dee-Dee complained of feeling unwell, her concerns were once more brushed aside by a white nurse, who accused her of aggressive behaviour when she protested against overlooked instructions.
In an emotional episode, viewers were left in shock as Dee-Dee became unconscious after suffering a severe haemorrhage. Prior to losing consciousness, she had sensed something amiss, alerting a nurse about feeling wet around her lower half, but tragically her plea for help went unheeded.
ITV soap fans learned of Dee-Dee’s harrowing ordeal, yet they must anxiously await the outcome of this distressing event. The programme has been commended on social media, now known simply as X, for bringing attention to such crucial issues through its storyline.
Audience members took to X to express their dismay and worry, with one saying: “Sad to see NHS maternity services failing DeeDee,” while another voiced their unease: “Frightened first time mum, sent home with paracetamol and told to light a scented candle, crowded waiting area, understaffed ward, practically giving birth in the waiting area, potential medical errors.”
Another user acknowledged: “Actually, to #Corrie for highlighting these issues.”
Praise was also laid upon “Corrie” for its courage in not avoiding the depiction of Dee-Dee’s experiences and the daily failures Black women face with the NHS during pregnancy and labour. As one viewer put it: “Admire #corrie tenacity at not shying away from these scenes with DeeDee and how the NHS let Black women down daily especially during pregnancy and labour. It is actually horrific watching it play out in real time but I’m glad they’re highlighting it. It’s a major problem.”
James, who is in the process of adopting the baby, pointedly remarked that if Dee-Dee were to succumb, the hospital staff’s negligence towards her initial complaints should be held accountable.
Research conducted by the Guardian last year revealed that births involving Black mothers are nearly twice as likely to be scrutinised for potential NHS safety breaches. England’s maternity safety watchdog completed over 2,300 investigations between 2020 and 2023.
The study showed that for every 1,000 deliveries by Black women, there were 2.3 investigations, compared with 1.3 investigations for each 1,000 deliveries by white women.
