Baby takes priority

LONDON: Authorities have taken steps to prevent any hoax such as that which contributed to the suicide death of a nurse, when the Duchess of Cambridge is admitted to St Mary’s Hospital in London to await the birth of her second child later this month.

Princess Kate will be attended only by experienced nursing staff and a number of security measures have been put in place to ensure no repeat of the Sydney radio DJ hoax call that was followed by the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha in 2012.

Mrs Saldanha, 46, a mother of two, was found dead three days after falling for a hoax call in which 2DayFM presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian called King Edward VII’s Hospital claiming to be the Queen and Prince Charles inquiring about the health of the Duchess.

The possibility of a hoax is one of numerous contingencies for which authorities and royal staff have prepared.

These include Prince William having to make the twohour trip from Norfolk, where he is undergoing air ambulance training, or the Princess going into labour before the expected due date which is “between the middle and end of the month”.

Based on that prediction the medical team, led by Guy Thorpe Beeston, assisted by Alan Farthing – both of whom were present at the birth of Prince George – and the staff of St Mary’s Lindo Wing are expecting to be on full alert from Thursday.

Other contingencies which have been taken into account are that Prince William is scheduled to attend Anzac Day 100th anniversary commemorations on April 25, the London Marathon will disrupt traffic on April 26, and the UK general election will be held on May 7.

Police, hospital and royal staff have been briefed on any potential for these to disrupt the carefully planned birth.