Criminal prosecution is being considered by the NHS care watchdog over the maternity scandal at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust.
Many babies have died in the maternity unit due to poor patient care and failings by staff.
Evidence is now being examined as to whether the trust committed a criminal offence by not following the proper procedures and by not being honest with parents and families about the deaths of the babies.
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Source: The Independent, 2 July 2021
A report by MPs has said 1,000 babies die every year as a result of lessons not being learned and blame being shifted despite a number of high profile cases involving maternity scandals.
Jeremy Hunt who chairs the committee has said “Despite a number of high-profile incidents, improvements in maternity safety are still not happening quickly enough".
The report also found that women from ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to experience a higher rates of stillborn and neonatal deaths.
The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
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Source: The Guardian, 6 July 2021
In a new report, Michael Marmot has found Greater Manchester had a 25% higher rate of death incidences from Covid-19 than anywhere else in England.
A report commissioned by the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership outlines several key recommendations such as increasing Greater Manchester's budget for prevention, increasing funding and support for training, identifying the minimum income needed for healthy living and investing in routine data collection.
The report outlines that now is the time to take these recommendations as actions to address the inequality issues.
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Source: BMJ, 30 June 2021
In the wake of the Nottingham Hospital maternity scandal, the hospital is now trying to find 70 midwives to fill vacancies.
In recent years, concerns about staff shortages and patient safety has been raised, with staff even writing a letter to the trust board over their fears.
A spokesperson from the trust has said “We will endeavour to continue recruiting until all vacancies have been filled, and our staff will continue working tirelessly to improve services for local women and families.”
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Source: The Independent, 05 July 2021
Fresh Air NHS, Patient Safety Learning and the Safer Healthcare and Biosafety Network are calling for urgent change to the UK government’s guidelines on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which are failing to adequately protect healthcare workers against the airborne nature of the Covid 19 virus.
In March 2020, UK PPE guidance for Covid-19 facing healthcare workers was downgraded, from requiring airborne protection for all staff, to only those in areas where aerosol generating procedures were commonly performed – mainly the ICU. To-date, approximately 1,500 UK health and care workers have died from Covid-19, with non-ICU healthcare workers experiencing far greater risk of infection than their better protected ICU colleagues. It is estimated that a further 122,000 health service workers who contracted Covid-19 are struggling with prolonged symptoms, often referred to as Long Covid.
Commenting on this, Helen Hughes, Chief Executive of Patient Safety Learning, said: “Providing enhanced PPE to everyone working in non-ICU Covid-19 wards would offer much-needed reassurance that our leaders are committed to protecting both patients and staff from avoidable infection and the associated consequences.
“The lack of recognition of the airborne nature of Covid-19 transmission from the UK government puts at risk the safety of healthcare staff, their loved ones and patients. There needs to be an urgent review of the PPE guidance to ensure that it is lawful, evidence-based, reflective of the airborne nature of the Covid-19 virus, and that safety is prioritised.”
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Source: Safer Healthcare and Biosafety Network, 06 July 2021
A new report into maternity safety has found due to a 'culture of blame' lessons haven't been learned.
Jeremy Hunt, chair of the Health Committee has said 1,000 more babies a year would survive if the maternity service in England was as safe as Sweden's.
Another expert report found a high incidence of brain injuries in maternity units. A new budget has been set out to help reduce the rate of stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal deaths and brain injuries by 2025.
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Source: BBC News, 06 July 2021
A doctors union has said some Covid measures should remain after the 19th July.
The British Medical Association has said use of face masks should continue in addition to new ventilation standards. The call to protect the NHS comes after a rise in cases has been observed.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he hopes restrictions can be lifted in England on 19th July but that there may be a need to take extra precautions.
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Source: BBC News, 3 July 2021
Patients with a lung disease may die before they can be diagnosed with an illness, charities have warned. Those on waiting lists for over a year with severe or worsening symptoms are at a higher risk, says health taskforce.
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Source: The Telegraph, 6 July 2021
Over 60 demonstrations took place on 3 July 2021 to protest over pay.
Figures have suggested that a band 5 nurse takes home around £5,000 less per year than they did a couple years ago due to austerity measures and a public sector pay cap.
The protest as arranged by groups Keep Our NHS Public, Health Campaigns Together, NHS Workers Say No and NHS Staff Voices with a separate demonstration by Nurses United UK have raised concerns for patient safety, arguing that the pay issue has a direct impact on recruitment and retention of nurses.
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Source: Nursing Notes, 3 July 2021
Baroness Julia Cumberlege has said she is angry and frustrated at the lack of progress being made after she led a critical review into how the health service treats female patients.
During her review, she spent 2 years speaking to 700 women and their families who experienced complications linked to two drug treatments and a medical device.
The four UK governments are still considering her recommendations and say they will respond fully later this year.
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Source: BBC News, 08 July 2021
An influx of Covid-19 patients is being seen in hospitals, leading to cancelled operations.
Staff are having to self-isolate for ten days, leading to shortages with Leeds Teaching Hospital having to cancel non-urgent operations in order to help cope with the numbers of patients coming in with Covid-19.
It has also been found that other hospitals and ambulance services are being affected as the third wave unfolds.
The Department for Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
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Source: The Guardian, 08 July 2021
A call for action on the one-year anniversary since the Cumberlege report was published will be happening in Parliament today and is being led by MP Emma Hardy and Shadow Health Minister Alex Norris.
Emma Hardy, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (AAPG) has said “Women deserve better than the Government’s refusal to implement the Baroness Cumberlege recommendations. The recommendations will not only make life better for those living with mesh complications, they will also improve patient safety for everyone in the future.”
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Source: Medical Plastics News, 07 July 2021
A survey by Patient Safety Movement Foundation (PSMF), a global non-profit has found their respondents did not feel in control of their health.
The survey focused on how the public view on patient safety and preventable medical harm and their understanding of it. Some highlights of the results include:
53.2% knew what the term 'medical error' meant, with only 37% being able to define it
58% worried about medical errors
45.9% of the public felt in control of what happens to their health
The findings of the survey suggest there is still some way to go in educating the public about medical errors and to bring about more awareness on the issue.
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Source: Business Wire, 07 July 2021
Women deserve better, say campaigners
Women have voiced their frustration that a year since Baroness Cumberlege published her scathing First Do No Harm report the only thing the Government has achieved is a half-hearted apology from Matt Hancock.
Politicians from all parties are meeting to call for action in a debate in Parliament on the one-year anniversary since the Cumberlege report was published https://firstdonoharmappg.org.uk/category/news/
The back-bench debate is on Thursday July, 8, and is being led by MP Emma Hardy and Shadow Health Minister Alex Norris.
Emma Hardy, MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) into mesh, said: “Women deserve better than the Government’s refusal to implement the Baroness Cumberlege recommendations. The recommendations will not only make life better for those living with mesh complications, they will also improve patient safety for everyone in the future.”
The First Do No Harm report looked at the dismissive attitude towards women harmed by mesh implants, and also women and their babies harmed by Primodos pregnancy testing drug and epilepsy drug Sodium Valproate. Primodos was discontinued in the 1970s. Sodium Valproate is still used today and there are fears women are still not being warned of the risks to their unborn baby if they take it during pregnancy.
The debate is calling for all Cumberlege recommendations to be implemented without further delay, including financial redress for women and sweeping reform of the healthcare and regulation framework.
It is also calling for a retrospective audit of mesh to work out the number of women suffering. The Cumberlege report suggests contacting all women who had mesh in the year 2010 to see how they are in 2021.
Kath Sansom, founder of campaign group Sling The Mesh, which has 9,000 members, said: “Mesh for stress incontinence was suspended in 2018 and we believe it should not be brought back until the audit is carried out until we know the true scale of complications. Scottish Government have pledged to never bring it back. Sadly, surgeons in England are pushing for it to be used again.”
Included in the recommendations is a call for industry to declare all monies and gifts to doctors, teaching hospitals and research institutions.
Kath said: “In post pandemic times it is more important than ever to know who is funding our research and prescribing decisions. In America there is a Sunshine Payment Act, forcing healthcare giants, who make billions in profits, to declare all the money and non-financial gifts they hand out. It has been proved such funding leads to bias in prescribing and bias in the scientific research. We need this legislation for the UK. That way campaigners and patients can see who is funding a doctor’s voice.”
Meantime, in Northern Ireland and Wales, mesh injured women have been left virtually high and dry and will be looking to the debate for hope.
Susan McLarnon of Sling The Mesh Northern Ireland, said: “Mesh services are next to non-existent. No formal announcement has been made since the new centres opened on 1st April. Patients who are lucky enough to get a gynaecology appointment are still being told mesh isn’t the issue. They are still in denial. Women have been left in limbo. Suffering horrendous pain with nowhere to turn. Some are being told to complain to their MP yet nobody is listening to us.”
Karen Preater, of Mesh Awareness Wales, added: “Other than when the Cumberlege report came out, there has been no statements or correspondence, I have emailed several times asking about a Patient Safety Commissioner and have had no responses. South Wales have their centre. North Wales are told to use Manchester. Total silence from the Welsh Government.”
The Parliamentary debate will look at the black hole in official statistics, which means nobody knows how many women have been harmed.
Kath said: “We are deeply concerned about a significant discrepancy between NHS figures and surgeon data on mesh complications – we fear surgeons have downplayed complications by almost ten times. The truth is nobody knows the scale of this women’s health scandal and the only way to get to the bottom of it is a retrospective audit.”
See the question to Parliament on discrepancy of the figures about the number of women suffering here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-03-04/163289
USEFUL LINKS
BLOG by MP Emma Hardy: Mesh surgery is costing the NHS millions https://www.emmahardy.org.uk/2018/04/18/mesh-surgery-failure-is-costing-the-nhs-millions-of-pounds/
A new report has emerged on hospitals now seeing an overwhelming influx of patients.
The report details how urgent care is now under immense strain from people seeking care in emergency departments across the country.
Read full story (paywalled).
Source: Nursing Times, 08 July 2021
A new report, Unfair to Care, has found a large pay gap between professionals who work in similar roles such as teaching assistants and police community support workers. However, despite having a similar skillset, social care workers receive £7,000 more a year than social care workers, charity claims.
The government has said they are committed to improving the adult social care system and that the social care sector "has been an essential and valued part of the front line response to the pandemic".
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Source: BBC News, 09 July 2021
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