Health and care sector latest developments
Interim findings of independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation published
The interim report of Baroness Amos's independent investigation into maternity and neonatal services in England has been published.
It highlighted poor accountability familiar systemic failures, leading bereaved families to warn against it becoming another cycle of diagnosis without delivery.
Baroness Amos concluded that the ‘system is not working for women, babies, and families, or for staff’ and she has not ruled out recommending a statutory inquiry into ‘shocking’ standards of NHS care.
Health secretary Wes Streeting himself thanked ‘the families who have bravely shared their harrowing stories’. He is set to launch a new taskforce to act on the recommendations in the final report which is due in the spring.
Rory Deighton, acute director speaking on behalf of the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers said that health leaders ‘recognise that there have been unacceptable failings in maternity and neonatal care and they are committed to doing everything within their power to ensure these are not repeated’.
Influential MP warns merging HSSIB into the CQC will ‘destroy’ independence
Sir Bernard Jenkin, the MP who first proposed setting up a safety investigations watchdog for the NHS, has warned that merging the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) into the Care Quality Commission (CQC) would be ‘fundamentally wrong’ and would ‘destroy’ confidence in its independence.
The long serving MP has said that his position is supported by cross-party senior MPs and royal colleges.
Hospitals must update 100,000 pacemakers
Hospitals are having to update more than 100,000 patients’ pacemakers – and replace hundreds of the devices – after the manufacturer discovered their batteries run down years early.
Medical device manufacturer Boston Scientific issued a field safety notice to trusts in December 2024, which stated that around 13 per cent of its Accolade pacemakers manufactured before September 2018 have a battery flaw, meaning they are more likely to suddenly switch into a limited, back-up ‘safety mode’, which can be fatal for some patients who are fully reliant on their pacemaker.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has said that 13,969 devices affected by the flaw were sold to 153 hospitals in the UK.
£2.1 million cuts to children's eating disorder services, RCPsych warns
Analysis from the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) shows that 16 ICBs are planning £2.1 million in real-terms reductions to children’s eating disorder services, despite rising prevalence and growing demand.
Staff shortages and long waits are already straining services, with the college warning that funding cuts will further delay access to vital treatment.
RCPsych is urging stronger mental health representation in local commissioning and sustained national investment, arguing that scaling back funding under current financial reforms could seriously undermine care quality and patient outcomes.
Jersey approves assisted dying law
A law to allow terminally ill adults the right to choose to end their own lives has been approved in Jersey.
It means Jersey is now the second part of the British Isles where assisted dying has been fully approved – after the Isle of Man.
Westminster and Scotland are debating assisted dying, with the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in England and Wales making slow progress in the House of Lords.
