Oops! Writing Contest Goes Belly Up!

Many writers, aspiring and regularly published, have a fondness for entering writing competitions at some stage of their careers. This is often done as a 'test' of ability, or as a writing exercise. Being shortlisted or a winner looks good on a writing CV, will boost a reputation and in some instances such as, the Bridport Prize, can earn you as a writer a considerable sum of money and kudos.

No matter the field or genre you write in, there will be a competition somewhere, at any given time each year. But what happens when things go wrong, or come back and bite the hand of the organisers, as happened recently.

At my local writers group this week an author colleague - Kate Bousfield - told me about the Willesden Herald writing contest which sees to have gone belly up this year in spectacular fashion. This contest started out with the best of intentions and the final judging of the shortlist was to be carried out by Zadie Smith, herself a Willesden girl. Unfortunately the standard of entries was deemed not literary enough to anoint a winner. Taking this stance seems to have caused a 'hullabaloo' Kiran Desai would be proud of.

Everybody, including Uncle Tom, seems to have an opinion on the matter and blog posts litter the internet (e.g.) Some of the gossiping is over the top and picking out the sour grape posts could become a national sport. The Willesden Herald itself believes it has published the final word on the contest, although I very much doubt it. I do know however, that another well known Willesden luminary, the late great Alan Coren, is probably rolling in his grave with laughter.

Unexpected Dangers For New Mums

It is difficult to imagine the horror you would feel on being told that the beautiful newborn baby you have just breastfed was not your own. In this modern age it is also difficult to imagine how the situation could occur. Or is it?

Newborn babies are tagged with small plastic 'family' name tags (which also include baby's date of birth) immediately they are born. These tags remain on the baby's wrist to be cut off once the baby is at home. When nurses or midwives have occasion to temporarily separate a baby from its mother, it is standard procedure to read out loud from the tag as the baby is handed back - thus stopping any problems as happened recently at Bassetlaw Hospital in Nottingham.

Bassetlaw Hospital has an excellent NHS star rating yet, two babies having been temporarily separated from their mothers were accidentally swapped on their return! It took one hour for the mistake to be noticed in which time one of the mothers had breastfed a baby. According to the BBC News The Royal College of Midwives comment on this incidence was par for the course: "Mistakes like this quite often happen at a time when staff are pressurised, when perhaps there aren't enough staff available..."

This is unacceptable.

Recently I had occasion to be in Derriford Maternity Hospital to welcome to our family a new granddaughter. Although this little angel was born fit, well and with a good pair of lungs! the experience was not so smooth for her mother. Continuity in the delivery suite was sadly lacking and it is hardly surprising that with 5 different midwives dealing with this one birth, my daughter-in-law (and son) were becoming exasperated and confused at being asked for their details such as ... "what is your name." The snowball effect of so many hands on deck brought several problems not least of which was that no-one seemed to know if this new baby had been given her vitamin K - a must for newborns.

This is totally unacceptable.

There were several areas within the the next 24 hours that could have improved the service and care for the new mum and her first baby. Non of these problems were due to "staff being pressurised, or perhaps there weren't enough staff available..." but, albeit in my observed opinion, poor administration, poor co-ordination and lack of post delivery follow through.