Great Western Hospital chiefs will appear in court next month over the death of Filipino nurse Mayra Cabrera.

Mayra, a theatre nurse at the hospital, died one hour after giving birth to baby Zac on May 11, 2004, after the powerful epidural drug bupivacaine was administered intravenously through a canula in her arm.

A five-week inquest into the 30-year-old’s death in January 2008 recorded a verdict of unlawful death and was the only occasion a hospital trust has ever been found responsible for corporate manslaughter.

More than five years on, Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is to be prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive for the failings that led to the young mum’s death.

Sue Rowley, director of nursing, said: “We have been informed by the Health and Safety Executive that Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will be prosecuted for safety breaches which resulted in the death of Mayra Cabrera shortly after giving birth in 2004. The trust have been summoned to appear at the magistrates’ court on December 11.”

The hospital, which was operating as Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust at the time, is now appealing to have proceedings put back to January while it seeks legal advice.

Until then Ms Rowley is anxious to reassure mothers-to-be of the changes that have been made at the hospital since Mayra’s tragic death.

“There have been a number of independent investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death and we have made significant improvements to the safety of maternity services,” she said.

Following the tragedy the storage of bupivacaine at Great Western Hospital was changed immediately, leading the way for national guidelines which were implemented in early 2007.

The Healthcare Commission, an independent inspection body for both the NHS and independent healthcare, now rates Great Western Hospital’s maternity unit one of the best performing in the country.

Since a 12-point improvement plan was laid out by Wiltshire Coroner David Masters at the conclusion of the inquest, the hospital has been in the top 25 per cent of maternity units in the country and Babyworld parents’ website voted it in the top six hospitals to give birth in.

Ms Rowley added: “Whilst we are never complacent about patient safety, women using maternity services at the trust should be reassured that we have some of the best services in the country.”

For more than five years staff at Great Western Hospital’s maternity unit have not only mourned the death of a friend and colleague but have lived with the part they played in the tragedy.

Ms Rowley, who has worked at Great Western Hospital for 30 years, said the court case would cast another shadow over the department. She said: “We are hoping not to have to ask staff involved in the inquest to give evidence in this case.

“No one will ever forget what happened and no-one will ever forget Mayra but there does come a point when we have to move past it.

“Though we have the Health and Safety Executive case, once that is over there will be no further proceedings hanging over the staff and it will enable both them and Mayra’s family to move on.

“We regret the additional distress this case causes Mayra’s family and friends and we will be seeking a swift resolution to the case to minimise this.”