A new ward has opened at the westcountry's biggest children's hospital. It's targeted at teenagers who are too old for children's units but too young for adult wards.
It's part of a big and expensive extension of the Bristol Childrens' Hospital. Robert Murphy reports.
Bristol Children's Hospital is to reduce the number of heart operations carried out after a formal warning over staffing levels on its cardiac unit.
It follows complaints by parents and a spot inspection by the regulator, the Care Quality Commission.
Inspectors found there weren't enough qualified, skilled or experienced staff and patients were being put at risk.
Six families are currently pursuing legal action against the hospital's trust after their children underwent heart surgery at the hospital.
Our health correspondent Rebecca Broxton reports:
The head of the trust which runs Bristol Children's Hospital, Robert Woolley, says he's very disappointed by the findings of the CQC:
The parents of Sean Turner, Yolanda and Steve, have given The West Country Tonight their reaction to the Care Quality Commission's report into Bristol Children's Hospital:
The head of the trust which runs Bristol Children's Hospital says he's very disappointed by the findings of the CQC.
– Robert Woolley, Chief Executive UBHTI was very disappointed by the CQC’s findings following its inspection of one of our wards in the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, the paediatric cardiac ward. No family should leave the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children believing that we did not provide the best care possible for their child. I am deeply concerned that some families believe that we have let them down and will continue to ensure that we address their concerns and bring forward our plans to develop a high dependency unit.
The CQC has issued a formal warning to UBHT in relation to staffing levels on a cardiac ward at Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital.
Read the full storyThe Care Quality Commission has issued a formal warning to University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust in relation to staffing levels on a cardiac ward at Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital.
The trust had been failing to meet three essential standards of quality and safety covering staffing levels, staff training and support, and the overall care and welfare of patients. Providers have a legal responsibility to make sure they are meeting all the essential standards.
The CQC warned the trust that it was facing further enforcement action unless it made improvements to staffing levels on Ward 32. The trust has also been told that it must provide a report within seven days setting out how it will meet the other standards. For full report click here:
CQC issues warning notice to Bristol Children's Hospital in relation to staffing levels following inspection of paediatric cardiac ward
From @RBroxtonITV on Twitter:The parents of two children, who died after heart surgery at the Bristol Children's Hospital, told the West Country Tonight recently that they blamed inadequate aftercare, but the hospital trust has strongly rejected their allegations.
There have been eight so-called serious incidents in the same ward last year and today the Care Quality Commission is publishing a report into the incidents.
