Mother, Stacy Johnstone, has been talking about her journey with her now 17-year-old son with cerebral palsy.

The family have settled into a new, adapted home following a lengthy legal battle with Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, which resulted in a multi-million pound settlement.

Stacey Johnstone is mum to a boy born under the care of Arrowe Park Hospital in 1998. During labour, it was claimed that there was negligent and excessive administration of the hormone drug, Syntocinon, causing hyper-stimulation of his mother’s uterus leading to oxygen deprivation.

His parents began legal action on his behalf against the hospital for the negligent treatment which led to their son’s cerebral palsy. Following legal action spanning more than ten years, the case was settled for £3,545,000 which includes a lump sum and annual payments, to pay for the special care he will need for the rest of his life. The family, who also have a young daughter, can now look forward to a secure future for their son.

Stacy Johnstone said the settlement has enabled the family to look towards their future with certainty. She said: “We’ve been able to move out of our three-bedroom terraced home into a detached property with a one-bedroom annexe for our son, so that in the future he can have the space he needs to live as independently as he can, yet still have us very close by to care for him.

“Knowing that he’s going to have continuing support into his adult life, including expert help such as occupational therapy if he needs it, is a huge comfort to all of us.

“I would like to thank Judith Thomas-Whittingham for her amazing support. She has become a friend as well as our solicitor.”

Judith Thomas-Whittingham, a partner at Stephensons, said: “I am delighted that the settlement has put the Johnstone family in the best possible position to give their son all he needs. It has already provided them with a new home which will accommodate their son as he becomes an adult and will also provide for the on-going treatment and therapy he may need in the future

“I have been made extremely welcome by the family; we’ve seen so many highs and lows as the case continued over many years. Now the legal battle is over, they have the reassurance that their son’s care will be secured for the rest of his life.”