An MP has called for “immediate action” to improve maternity services and for coroners to be given powers to investigate stillbirths.

Natalie Elphicke spoke out on Monday, the day before the first anniversary of the death of a baby from Dover.

Tallulah-Rai Edwards was stillborn, on January 28 last year, days after her mother was sent home from hospital.

Mum Shelley Russell, of Aycliffe, had raised concerns about Tallulah-Rai’s lack of movement in the womb.

She attended Dover's Buckland Hospital on January 23, then 36 weeks into her pregnancy. She was in a higher risk category, having miscarried before.

Ms Russel said that during the monitoring process the midwife left her at times in the sole care of a student nurse, who had difficulties getting a reliable reading.

Even thought that could not be obtained the midwife decided to stop monitoring and Ms Russell was sent home.

She woke up two days later, realising the baby had stopped kicking and rushed to the maternity ward.

Another scan confirmed death in the womb and the child was stillborn by c-section.

In the follow-up investigation a consultant obstetrician asked why Ms Russell had been sent home on January 23 when, he believed, checks should have continued.

Dover & Deal MP Natalie Elphicke met with Ms Russell and her husband Nicholas Edwards last week.

She raised the case in Parliament during a debate on the NHS Funding Bill.

Mrs Elphicke told the Commons: “Tallulah-Rai’s parent know that nothing can bring back their daughter.

"But they want changes to law and to the administration of healthcare to be undertaken to ensure no other parent suffers an unnecessary loss.

“This cannot wait for a lengthy public inquiry – it needs action now.

“The (hospitals )trust needs to stop hiding behind paperwork and process. It should take responsibility right now.”

Tallulah-Rai’s parents have also called for major changes in the way the trust runs maternity services.

Ms Russell said: “Tallulah-Rai’s first birthday would have been yesterday. We bought her a little dress which unfortunately she will never get to wear.

"All we’ve got is dreams – and what we’ve made in our hearts.

“We urge any parent who’s pregnant at this time that they go to their nearest hospital and insist that they are checked.

" We just want to see improvement across the board so no other parent has to go through what we have.”

Mrs Elphicke told Parliament that Talluah-Rai’s case was not the only one of its kind.

Last week a coroner at the inquest on baby Harry Richford, of Birchington, described his death as "wholly avoidable."

He was born at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate on November 2, 2017.

He died seven days later after he was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit at Ashford's William Harvey Hospital.

Both Tallulah-Rai and Harry died from hypoxia, a condition caused by lack of oxygen.

Mrs Elphicke is demanding that health chiefs to make clear how many avoidable deaths have occurred in East Kent Hospitals. She said: “We need to know how many avoidable deaths have taken place in our local hospital maternity services - and the action that is being taken to make immediate improvements.

"It's time for health chiefs to level with our community."

A total of 26 maternity cases at East Kent Hospitals are being investigated in the wake of Harry's inquest, health minister Nadine Dorries revealed in the Commons yesterday.

A spokesman for East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust said:“We express our heartfelt condolences to Tallulah-Rai’s family and we are extremely sorry that they have suffered such a devastating loss.

“We are reviewing our service with some of England’s leading maternity experts to make sure we are doing everything we can to make rapid improvements to maternity care in east Kent.

“We are encouraging women who are currently expecting a baby to contact their named midwife if they would like reassurance about their current care.

“Women who have been under the care of East Kent Hospitals’ maternity service in the past and have concerns about their care can contact us on 01233 651900.”

Read more: All the latest news from Kent