Deaths of babies in Shropshire: hospital trust has a culture of intimidation

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Staff of a hospital trust being investigated on infant deaths claims that there is a "culture of intimidation and harassment," revealed a report.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH), which is already under special measures, was deemed insufficient by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Emergency and maternity services in both hospitals were deemed dangerous.

Simon Wright, Managing Director of Trust, said, "A report like this can not leave you indifferent."

The 112-page report, released Thursday, lists a catalog of problems at Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal hospitals in Telford, Shropshire. Trust was previously considered "requires improvement" as a whole.

An investigation is underway into alleged maternity failures, with more than 200 families expressing concerns about care in the trust.

She recently abandoned her Telford Emergency Department night closure project due to a shortage of doctors, but recruited additional staff.

The inspectors said that intimidation and harassment claimed "to have found a culture of defense on the part of the management team".

They also found:

• Staff morale was low, as was stress and work overload.
• Medical care, surgery, critical care and end of life at both sites need to be improved
• Medical and nursing numbers "were not enough to ensure patient safety", especially in Telford

A temporary unit led by a midwife in Shrewsbury, used after her original building was damaged by snowfall last December, was deemed "unfit for her mission" and her executives "managed the crisis".

The report also revealed a shortage of midwives due to sick leave and maternity leave.

Analysis

By Michael Buchanan, BBC Social Affairs Correspondent

This damning report will be a terrible read for families who have lost babies as a result of mistakes made by this trust.

Talk to any of them and their fervent wish is that no one should be forced to live the same experience.

The persistent failure of confidence to ensure that cardiac frequencies are well monitored and the absence of lessons learned after incidents give the impression of insensitive arrogance towards these families.

Basically, this is a misguided trust for years.

Today's report blatantly denounces the current direction – not everyone has the "appropriate skills and abilities" to provide "high quality sustainable care".

The CEO, Simon Wright, insists that he's not out of reach, but under his guidance, trust has obviously deteriorated.

The newly appointed president said Wednesday that they "can not continue to do the same thing with the same people".

The growing chorus in Shropshire in favor of Wright's resignation will certainly hope for it.

The CQC has given confidence a host of improvements to be made, listing 81 issues to be addressed, including ensuring that staff are trained in patient protection and reviewing the midwife's staffing levels. ensure the safety of women and babies.

Confidence should also improve the way it generates escalating cases of high-risk women within the midwifery-led day assessment unit and revise its policy on reduced fetal movements of midwives and sonographers.

Other required enhancements included maintaining secure environments, speeding up the handling of complaints, secure storage of medication and records, as well as the administration of antibiotics to patients suspected of being in harm's way. Being sepsis.

However, the inspectors felt that the trust was "good" and that they had found "examples of outstanding practices in end-of-life care services at both sites" as well as in post-natal care at home. maternity.

The trust said that some of CQC's concerns had been resolved by recruiting and improving reports through its maternity departments.

Professor Ted Baker, Chief Inspector of CQC Hospitals, said, "We found the staff to be caring and dedicated, but the Trust clearly had a long way to go to ensure that care is provided in a way that ensures safety. people.

"We remain particularly concerned about the NHS Trust's emergency department and maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital.

"We have already taken urgent measures to protect people and monitor the relationship very closely."

The Executive Director, Mr. Wright, apologized and said the trust was "disappointed that we have not made as much progress in addressing the issues and challenges facing the Trust as we have wish everyone ".

"But people should not lose sight of a lot of things that SaTH does not only do well but is significantly better than many other trusts across the country.

Last year, the government commissioned an independent study on a series of baby deaths at the trust.

Previously, about 3,000 people protested against SaTH's plan to close A & E at the Princess Royal overnight, with confidence citing staff shortages for its decision.