Latest news with #Section29A
ITV News
13-05-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Yeovil Hospital's maternity unit temporarily closing amid 'concerns over safety of care of babies'
The maternity unit at Yeovil District Hospital will be closed down temporarily due to concerns for the safety of care for babies and children. In a statement the hospital trust said it 'cannot currently safely run the unit' or 'safely provide care during labour and birth'. Staff members say they were told in an emergency meeting on Tuesday, 13 May and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed it will close from 5pm on Monday. The hospital trust has said the care of pregnant women will now be transferred to Musgrove Park Hospital or maternity units in Dorchester or Bath. The temporary closure comes after maternity services at the hospital were rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), last year. According to the CQC's report, there was not enough emergency equipment in the unit to safely care for babies, and the service didn't always have enough medical staff. It also found not all staff followed infection control principles, like washing their hands before administering care. Maternity services at Taunton's Musgrove Park were similarly rated inadequate and bosses of both hospitals were sent warning notices of the need to improve. The report found staff had failed to complete mandatory training, with knowledge gaps including how to manage when unborn babies had reduced movements or growth restrictions. Bridgwater was found to need improvement, with issues around leadership, waiting times and how equipment was maintained. The CQC report also found lessons were not always learned following incidents. In a statement the trust's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Melanie Iles, said: 'This is a very difficult decision that we have not taken lightly. "We have made it after careful consideration, and a clinical assessment of those services, in discussion withNHS partners. I want to personally say sorry to local people who are affected by these temporary closures.' 'These temporary closures have come about as a result of concerns about our care for babies and children at YDH. "The Care Quality Commission inspected our paediatric services in January and issued a Section 29A warning notice because it assessed that the paediatric care we provide at YDH requires significantimprovement. "We also currently have high levels of sickness amongst senior paediatricians which has caused big gaps in our rota. 'Senior paediatricians from Musgrove Park Hospital are supporting the service at YDH, to ensure that paediatric inpatient and outpatient services at YDH are open for those who need them. However, we are not able to support the SCBU in the same way and therefore we must close it temporarily on safety grounds. "This directly impacts on the YDH inpatient maternity service because we cannot care for any newborns who require care in a Special Care Baby Unit or safely provide care during labour and birth at the Yeovil Maternity Unit. 'Most services remain open, and we are working with neighbouring NHS trusts and the Somerset Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership to ensure that pregnant women, birthing people and their newborn babies receive the care and support they need.' 'We are committed to providing safe, high quality and sustainable services for those who need them, but we must address these concerns and need the time and space to do this. I apologise again to anyone who is affected by these changes.' 'Families in Yeovil deserve more' Adam Dance, The MP for Yeovil, said in a statement the sudden closure was "deeply unsettling and unacceptable". 'I am extremely concerned by the decision to close Yeovil Maternity Unit — even if the Trust says it is temporary", the statement read. Like many people across our community, I find this deeply unsettling and unacceptable." "I have directly asked senior figures at the Trust for reassurance that the service will reopen after six months — and they have been unable to give it. That's simply not good enough. "Families in Yeovil deserve more than vague promises — they deserve answers, action, and proper access to care. "Moving all services to Taunton, where staff have already raised concerns about not having enough capacity to manage their own patient load, is deeply troubling. "Expecting that overstretched service to safely take on additional cases from Yeovil is not realistic, and it risks putting even more pressure on dedicated staff already at breaking point. "I've also been contacted by constituents raising serious concerns about longstanding problems within Yeovil Maternity Unit: poor management, unsafe working conditions, and how staff have been treated. "These cannot be swept under the rug — they must be addressed openly and urgently. This isn't just about buildings and services. "It's about trust — and right now, that trust has been badly damaged. I will keep pushing for a full explanation from Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Somerset, and I won't stop demanding a clear plan to restore safe, local maternity care in Yeovil. Our community cannot afford to lose this service for good.'
Sky News
16-04-2025
- Sky News
Family of man who committed murder after escaping from mental health unit say they were 'failed' by NHS trust
The family of a man who committed murder during an escape from a secure mental health unit have told Sky News they were "failed" by the trust that was meant to be caring for him. Joshua Carroll is currently waiting to be sentenced for the murder of Headley Thomas, known as Barry, after beating him to death in a park in Trafford, Manchester, in September 2022. At the time of the attack, Joshua was in the care of Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH). He was being treated as an inpatient at Park House, a unit which has now closed down. Joshua's mum and sister say he escaped from the unit 21 times - and they repeatedly complained to the trust and asked for help. Leanne Carroll, Joshua's sister, told Sky News: "The night it happened, Joshua had come to my house. And it was just a normal 'oh Joshua has escaped from hospital again'. Nothing appeared any different." She says they didn't find out about what had happened until Joshua was arrested weeks later - and "everything fell apart from there". "My heart broke," said Joshua's mum, Julie Carroll. "It's just a horrible, horrible situation." Joshua had been diagnosed with conditions including schizoaffective disorder, and had been in and out of inpatient care for around 15 years, his family said. They showed me more than 20 pages of complaints and responses from GMMH about his repeated escapes, dating back eight years before the murder. After Joshua's fourth escape from Park House, his family asked for him to be moved to another unit, saying they were concerned about security. This didn't happen, with the trust citing capacity issues. His family complained once again about his escapes just five weeks before the murder, in August 2022. "We are very, very angry and disappointed," said Julie. "You think if your child is in hospital, and they are very poorly, that they are going to be looked after - they will be safe and they will be secure. But that wasn't the case for Josh." Although Joshua was convicted of murder, Leanne says his family hold GMMH partly responsible. "If you had done your job properly - none of this would have happened," she said. "Two families wouldn't have been destroyed and so many hearts wouldn't have been broken." Since 2022, GMMH has been served with several Section 29A warning notices by the Care Quality Commission. These are issued when the commission decides a service needs to make significant improvements, and there is a risk of harm. In the case of GMMH, their concerns included "ward security systems not consistently keeping people safe". Dr John Mulligan is a clinical psychologist for GMMH, working in the community for the early intervention in psychosis service, and a representative for the union Unite. He and his colleagues have been going on strike repeatedly across the past seven months, saying they just don't have the staffing levels they need to keep people safe. "Thankfully, violent incidents among our service users are quite rare, they are much more likely to be the victims of violence and aggression," he said. "But serious incidents are happening regularly. Far too regularly. "It's very upsetting for staff and for patients and families." Salli Midgley, chief nurse at the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust said: "On behalf of GMMH, we express our heartfelt condolences to Headley Thomas's loved ones at this very sad time. "Our thoughts and sympathies remain with everyone who has been affected by this most devastating incident. We are deeply sorry that it happened while Joshua Carroll was under our care. "Under the trust's new leadership, we have been working closely with NHS England, our commissioners and the CQC to create better, safer and well-led services for all." She continued: "A huge amount of progress has already been made but we know we still have a lot to do to improve our services. "As part of this work, we are currently carrying out an in-depth investigation into the care and treatment provided to Mr Carroll, and the circumstances leading to Mr Thomas' death, the findings of which will be shared with NHS England. "We are unable to comment further on this case whilst the investigation is ongoing." Barry Thomas's family told Sky News mental health is a very serious issue - but they believe Joshua Carroll tried to "play down his actions". They said: "Let's all remember that a life was taken. Our brother, father, and uncle. The evidence the police gathered was in plain sight for all to see. "We, the family, would like to thank all the police involved for the work they have done, in bringing justice for Barry."
