Latest news with #StJamesHospital
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Two Leeds hospitals' maternity services rated inadequate over safety risks
The care of women and babies at two Leeds hospitals presents a significant risk to their safety, the NHS regulator has said, after the preventable deaths of dozens of newborns. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) demanded urgent improvements to maternity services at Leeds general infirmary and St James's hospital as it downgraded them to 'inadequate'. A BBC investigation this year found that the deaths of at least 56 babies and two mothers may have been preventable at the two hospitals between January 2019 and July 2024. The hospitals, run by Leeds teaching hospitals NHS trust, are the latest to be engulfed by a maternity scandal that has revealed catastrophic failings in Nottingham, Shrewsbury and Telford, Morecambe Bay, east Kent and others. The downgrading of maternity and neonatal services in Leeds follows unannounced inspections by the CQC in December and January. Ann Ford, a director of operations at the CQC, said it had received concerns from staff, patients and families about safety and staffing levels at the two hospitals. She said: 'During the inspection the concerns were substantiated, and this posed a significant risk to the safety of women, people using these services, and their babies as the staff shortages impacted on the timeliness of the care and support they received.' Inspectors found dirty areas on the maternity wards of both hospitals, unsafe storage of medicines, a 'blame culture' that left staff unwilling to raise concerns, and short-staffed units. On the neonatal wards, which care for the most vulnerable newborns, the CQC found they were understaffed and infants needing special care were being transported unsafely from one hospital to another. A freedom of information request by the BBC revealed in January that the NHS trust had identified at least 56 baby deaths that may have been preventable from January 2019 to July 2024, made up of 27 stillbirths and 29 neonatal deaths, which are deaths within 28 days after birth. In each case, a trust review group had identified care issues it considered may have made a difference to the outcome for babies. Sir Julian Hartley, the head of the CQC, was the chief executive of Leeds teaching hospitals NHS trust for 10 years until January 2023, meaning he was in charge when many of the preventable deaths took place. The parents of a newborn girl who died after multiple failings at Leeds general infirmary in January 2020 questioned the CQC's ability to carry out an independent inspection, given Hartley's previous role. The regulator said it has 'robust policies in place to manage any conflict of interest'. Prof Phil Wood, the chief executive of Leeds teaching hospitals NHS trust, said: 'These reports have highlighted significant areas where we need to improve our maternity and neonatal services, and my priority is to make sure we urgently take action to deliver these improvements.' He said the trust was improving whistleblowing procedures for staff and had recruited 55 midwives, leaving it 11 short of the national target. Wood added: 'I want to reassure every family due to have their baby with us in Leeds and any new parents that we are absolutely committed to providing safe, compassionate care.'
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
St James's Hospital apologises to trans woman over treatment at emergency department
St James's Hospital has made a public apology to a trans woman over her experience at its emergency department last year after she fell ill following gender reassignment surgery overseas. In a public statement made to Paige Behan before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), the hospital acknowledged there is a 'lacuna in the care pathways' for people in her position. Its management has apologised for the 'unsatisfactory and upsetting' experience she faced and undertook to meet with a trans advocacy group to discuss its concerns. Ms Behan brought a statutory complaint against the hospital's board alleging that she was discriminated against in breach of the Equal Status Act 2000 when she came in seeking emergency treatment on August 16th, 2024. Her complaint has now been resolved by agreement. READ MORE The case opened before adjudication officer David James Murphy on Monday afternoon, following a short adjournment for talks between the parties. Ms Behan's barrister, Michael Kinsley BL, appearing instructed by solicitor Seamus Hempenstall of Daly Hempenstall LLP said: 'The matter has been resolved and the only action required is that a public statement be read out by the hospital.' The statement was then read out by counsel for the board of St James's Hospital, Mairead McKenna. 'St James's Hospital acknowledges there is a lacuna in the care pathways available for patients who have received gender-affirming surgery abroad,' Ms McKenna said. '[The hospital] apologises to Paige Behan for the unsatisfactory and upsetting experience she had during her attendance at the emergency department on 16 August 2024. The hospital deeply regrets the upset caused to Ms Behan,' Ms McKenna said. 'St James's Hospital is committed to learning from Paige Behan's experience at the hospital and has agreed to meet with Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) at Paige Behan's request to discuss the concerns regarding the care available to patients who are returning from abroad following gender-affirming surgery.' The adjudicator, Mr Murphy noted the withdrawal of the equal status complaint pursuant to an agreement between the parties. He praised the 'hard work' of the litigants in coming to the agreement, and commended their commitment to 'improving the service to everyone's benefit' before closing the hearing.
Irish Times
10-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Doctor found guilty of attempting to use fake diplomas to register with Medical Council
The behaviour of a doctor who sought to register with the Irish Medical Council as a specialist cardiologist using fake diplomas was 'disgraceful and dishonourable', a fitness-to-practise hearing has found. The hearing heard that had Dr Amir Taherzadeh been successful in his attempt to be recognised as a specialist cardiologist, there was 'a very high likelihood of patients coming to harm' and it 'could well' have led to deaths. Dr Taherzadeh's current CV, on the website of a Czech healthcare provider, lists him as having previously worked at a string of Irish hospitals including St James' , the Mater , Blackrock Clinic and, up to three years ago, St Vincent's University and Private Hospital . At the hearing, it was suggested he was not working in Ireland at the time of his application but had signalled his intention to return and would have been expected to quickly get a job in line with the specialist qualification. READ MORE Dr Taherzadeh – who did not attend Tuesday's hearing, during which his address was given as Iran – had faced four counts of professional misconduct. These related to the submission of false diplomas in support of his application in 2022 to move from the Irish Medical Council's general division to its specialist division. He claimed to have a specialist qualification in cardiology that came from Charles University in Prague. However, during two earlier days of evidence, the fitness-to-practise committee, chaired by Ronan Quirke, heard from university officials as well the Czech Ministry of Health that the documents provided by Dr Taherzadeh were false and the numbers on them corresponded to an award to a different doctor of a qualification in gynaecology and obstetrics. Credible and compelling evidence had been provided to the committee, to the effect that the formats of the documents were either incorrect for 2022 or contained the wrong signatures, Mr Quirke said. The committee also heard evidence that Dr Taherzadeh only obtained the qualification he was claiming to have in 2022 in December 2024 – having previously been declined permission to sit the required exam on one occasion, then subsequently allowed to sit it only to fail to complete it. When challenged on foot of the Irish Medical Council's initial inability to verify the diplomas he had provided, Mr Quirke said the evidence was that Dr Taherzadeh adopted 'an argumentative position with the Medical Council'. [ Taoiseach: Hip dysplasia controversy should be referred to Medical Council Opens in new window ] 'In no way did the registrant take any responsibility for the documentation other than to blame the authorities in the Czech Republic. 'The committee is satisfied that the registrant knowingly misled the medical council as to his educational status and as to his entitlement to be registered on the specialist division.' The committee heard Dr Taherzadeh also claimed he had at one stage been arrested in Ireland and deported to Iran, where his medical qualifications had been suspended for a year because he had treated non-Muslim patients. However, the committee heard evidence from Garda Det Insp Michael Griffin that Ireland does not deport people to Iran and would not have done so in the case of Dr Taherzadeh as he was believed to hold Dutch citizenship. Mr Quirke said the claim was 'an example of the casual approach adopted by the registrant in relation to the veracity of factual assertions made by him'. [ Frustration in Government over continual revelations from CHI Opens in new window ] He said consultant cardiologist Prof Jim O'Neill had told the committee 'that had the application been successful, the potential consequences for the public could well have been lethal'. A successful registration of the qualification would have given Dr Taherzadeh the 'opportunity to operate independently, to supervise juniors and treat patients', in a manner he knew he was not qualified to do. His behaviour was described as 'inherently dishonest'. The four charges were found to be proven and the meeting was adjourned to allow an opportunity for submissions to be made regarding appropriate sanctions.
BreakingNews.ie
09-06-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Coroner warns people may not realise severity of burn injuries after death of Cavan farmer (79)
A coroner has warned that people may not realise the severity of burn injuries in some cases, after hearing about the death of an elderly Cavan man after a stick fell out of a wood-burning stove in his home. Patrick Lynch (79), a retired farmer of Cormore, Arva, Co Cavan, died as a result of complications of burn injuries at St James's Hospital in Dublin on August 29th, 2023. Advertisement A sitting of Dublin District Coroner's Court heard a neighbour of Mr Lynch had discovered a smouldering stick in a smoke-filled room when he called to see the deceased around 1:15pm on August 26th, 2023. Ciaran Ellis told an inquest into Mr Lynch's death that he rang an ambulance after discovering his neighbour lying crossways on a bed with his feet 'red with burns.' Mr Ellis said a stick that seemed to have fallen out of a door at the front of the stove was still smouldering on the floor. He recalled that the deceased's pyjamas and part of a chair were also burnt, although there was no evidence of a large fire of any type. Advertisement When asked how he felt, Mr Ellis said Mr Lynch had replied that he was not in any pain. 'He did not realise he was badly burnt,' said Mr Ellis. He said the deceased only complained about feeling a little bit of pain a few hours later, just before an ambulance arrived at around 4:30pm. The coroner, Cróna Gallagher, said some people with burn injuries did not appreciate the severity of their burns as they did not feel any pain because the injuries were so bad that nerve endings in their body had been damaged. Advertisement 'People with less severe burn injuries may feel far worse pain,' said Dr Gallagher. She observed that people with severe burn injuries might not seek the urgent treatment that they needed due to the misconception that the lack of pain indicated they were not badly hurt. 'It's a common issue that the part that is burnt can just look red, which means people think it might not be serious,' said Dr Gallagher. In reply to questions from the coroner, Mr Ellis said he would check on his neighbour two to three times per day. Advertisement He explained the deceased had moved his bedroom downstairs to the living room a few years previously because of his mobility issues. Mr Ellis also said his neighbour used the stove as his main source of heating and would be in the habit of packing it with wood. The deceased's brother, Jimmy Lynch, who gave evidence of formally identifying his brother's body to gardaí at St James's Hospital, said his brother had lived alone for over 25 years. While the deceased had a few health problems, including poor eyesight, Mr Lynch said his brother was able to manage, although he had not really left his house for a number of years. Advertisement Mr Lynch said he was never aware of any problem that his brother, who was a non-smoker, had with the stove. Sergeant Cathal Buggy gave evidence of examining the scene of the fatal incident and being satisfied that there was nothing suspicious about what happened. Sgt Buggy also confirmed that there was nothing defective with the stove. In a written statement, a paramedic, Billy Bushnell, said the initial triaging from the call for assistance had assessed Mr Lynch as a 'low priority' case. Mr Bushnell said the injured man was chatty and responsive to paramedics after the ambulance arrived at his house at 4:28pm. He said Mr Lynch had some third-degree burns and massive blistering on his legs, although he had stated that the pain was 'not too bad.' Mr Bushnell said he advised his controllers that the patient should be brought to St James's Hospital in Dublin, where the National Burns Unit is based, but was instructed to take him to Cavan General Hospital. He said he phoned ahead to the hospital in Cavan to have a resus team on standby, but none was in place by the time they arrived. The inquest heard Mr Lynch was transferred to St James's Hospital the following morning. Medical records showed he suffered burns to approximately 30 per cent of his body, which mostly related to his lower limbs. Doctors in St James's assessed him as requiring immediate surgery for full-thickness burns, as it was a life-threatening situation. However, they subsequently assessed that he would not survive further surgery, and his treatment was switched to palliative care. Dr Gallagher observed that it was not clear if it would have made any difference if Mr Lynch had received treatment sooner, although she believed it was 'unlikely". The results of a postmortem showed he had died as a result of complications of burns from material from a wood-burning stove, with heart disease as a contributory factor. Offering her sympathy to Mr Lynch's relatives, the coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Premature baby's care at Leeds hospital 'unacceptable'
The parents of a premature baby boy who died just hours after his birth have described the care he received in hospital as "unacceptable".Benjamin Arnold developed breathing difficulties shortly after being born just over five weeks before his due date at St James's Hospital in Leeds in "missed" opportunities to diagnose a pneumothorax, also known as a collapsed lung, and had this been treated he would likely have survived, area coroner Oliver Longstaff said at an Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT), which runs the hospital, said it was "extremely sorry that Benjamin died whilst in our care". 'Missed opportunity' Mr Longstaff's narrative conclusion, following the inquest into Benjamin's death at Wakefield Coroner's Court last week, said the baby had "collapsed" during a procedure to help his underdeveloped lungs to breathe three hours after his to resuscitate him were ultimately unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead less than eight hours after he was Longstaff said there was a "missed opportunity to consider the possibility" of a pneumothorax early on in the process, because procedure policy "did not mandate a chest X-ray", which he said would probably have revealed it.A further opportunity was also missed when the medic performing the procedure did not discuss it with the neonatal consultant involved, the coroner added. The consultant would likely have asked if a pneumothorax had been ruled out as a cause of Benjamin's condition, the conclusion Longstaff said: "No thought was given to the pneumothorax being a potential, and potentially reversible, cause of the collapse."If they had been treated he would have, on the balance of probabilities, survived."The coroner said he was preparing a prevention of future deaths report, which would examine what lessons could be learned from the case and that would be published in due course. 'Important changes' In a statement to the BBC, Benjamin's parents said: "We are devastated by Benjamin's death."The standard of care he received was unacceptable."We urge Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust to take the prevention of future deaths report seriously."We ask the government to urgently provide the funding for the new hospital building in Leeds. "This would allow all maternity and neonatal care to be provided from a single site and improve patient safety. This cannot wait any longer."In January, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced the planned redevelopment of Leeds General Infirmary would not begin before 2030. At the time Professor Phil Wood, chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals, said he was "extremely disappointed" by the the inquest, Dr Magnus Harrison, LTHT's medical director, said: "I am extremely sorry Benjamin died whilst in our care and I cannot imagine how difficult the last three years have been for his family."I want to reassure everyone that we have already made important changes to improve our neonatal service."These include changes to our policies to have a consultant neonatologist available on each hospital site and involving them earlier in the delivery of complex clinical procedures."While we recognise these do not undo the loss of Benjamin, we will continue to review our service and make improvements so we can deliver the best possible care for our babies and their families." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
