I won't resign over baby deaths - Morecambe Bay hospitals chief (From The Westmorland Gazette)

I won't resign over baby deaths - Morecambe Bay hospitals chief

6:40pm Thursday 13th October 2011 in Health By Allan Tunningley

A MORECAMBE Bay hospital boss said he will not resign over the maternity crisis at Furness General Hospital.

Medical director Peter Dyer said he and other senior managers were not considering their positions after a third medical body demanded improvements at Furness General Hospital baby unit.

He said they would stay to ‘show clinical leadership’.

At a press conference yesterday, Mr Dyer also refused to discuss whether disciplinary proceedings were being taken against any staff at the unit.

However, he admitted re-training was an issue being addressed following a spate of baby deaths at FGH.

Pressure is mounting on the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust (UHMBT) after Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) issued a damning report.

The NMC’s demand for action on 19 areas of concern comes on top of a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report which found ‘significant problems’ at the unit. The CQC set a November 21 deadline for the improvements to be implemented to avoid sanctions, including potential ward closure.

The unit is also under investigation by police after the deaths of a number of babies and mothers. Concern was initially sparked by the death of Joshua Titcombe, of Dalton-in-Furness, in 2008. He died of natural causes, but an inquest found his life could have been saved if maternity staff had diagnosed a serious lung infection earlier. Since then, a further seven deaths have raised concerns.

The NMC said governance, risk management, collaborative working and leadership needed to improve. However, it acknowledged some improvements had been made since a review in September.

Sascha Wells, head of midwifery, obstetrics and gynaecology at UHMBT, said: “We are pleased that the NMC recognised there have been a number of significant service improvements that demonstrate commitment to providing women-focused services but we are not complacent.

“The NMC conducted its review alongside the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in July this year. As its findings are consistent with those of the CQC, whose report we received just over four weeks ago, we have already acted on many of the recommendations contained in the NMC report.

“Additionally, we have invited in a highly experienced clinical advisory team, which includes a head of midwifery, a supervisor of midwives and a consultant midwife, to offer mentorship and support to clinicians and senior management.

”Furthermore, we have established a long-term partnership with Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust to provide mentorship and support and to further develop clinical leadership for our women’s and children’s services.”