A PREGNANT teenager was told off by a hospital midwife for using an ambulance as a 'taxi service' — just hours before her baby died.

The details came to light at an inquest held in Bolton into the death of premature baby Dominic Tatlock, of Clarence Street, Farnworth, who died just hours later.

In her statement to the coroner, Dominic's mum, Elise, aged 19, said she was upset at how she had been treated by the midwife who diagnosed she had a urinary infection and sent her home, told her: "Do you know that that 'taxi' has just cost us £300."

The inquest heard that just two-and-a-half hours after Elise was sent home, she had a breach birth on the bathroom floor of her home.

The lifeless infant was rushed back to the hospital, but never recovered and died in an incubator within hours.

Elise was taken into hospital on July 29, after experiencing severe pain.

At the time, her mum had been willing to take her by car but because of her daughter's worsening condition she phoned doctors and an ambulance.

She was given an examination by a gynaecologist and trainee medic Dr Kenn Lim and by midwife Rukaiya Jamadar.

Mr Pollard asked Ms Jamador what she knew about the comments about an ambulance being used as a taxi service to get patients to hospital.

Ms Jamador admitted she had made the remarks and apologised to the coroner and family.

Mr Pollard said: "I accept it wasn't said with any malice, but if that is the policy of the NHS I have never heard that before. It's an extraordinarily insensitive thing to say to any patient."

The inquest heard that at 20 weeks into her pregnancy, Elise was given high-risk status after an examination by medical staff.

Medical evidence presented at the inquest suggested that premature babies born at 23 weeks still had just a 30 per chance of survival in hospital as opposed to a 15 per cent chance of survival being born at home.

However, a study has shown that of the 30 per cent that survived, 14 per cent were left with some form of disability.

Mr Pollard heard that little Dominic was born on July 30, just 23 weeks and five days into him mum's pregnancy.

He decided that Dominic had died of natural causes after medical complications during the pregnancy.

After the inquest Elise, who is a student studying health and social care, said: "After the midwife had decided I had a urinary infection, she had a proper go at me for having the nerve to use the ambulance as a taxi service.

"At the time, I was in severe pain, my waters had broken weeks earlier and I was classed as a high risk pregnancy.

"I felt very vulnerable and yet the midwife was very arrogant and dismissive of what I was telling her."

Sue Ainsworth, head of midwifery for Bolton NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are deeply sorry that our midwife may have caused distress during this difficult time. I can assure you it is not policy, nor was it a directive to staff, that women in labour should be discouraged from using ambulances to attend hospital.

“Our midwife has apologised to the family for her comments, and lessons have been learnt for the future.”