Trainee doctors return to Bedford Hospital

Trainee doctors, removed from Bedford Hospital over fears a child would be harmed, are to return in August.

Health Education East of England (HEEoE) withdrew junior doctors last July because of a shortage of senior staff to train them safely.

A new assessment of the paediatric department revealed staff had achieved the GMC's "safe" training requirements.

Professor Simon Gregory, who said last year trainees felt they worked in "an unsafe way", led the inspection team.

Inspectors included the GMC, NHS England, NHS Trust Development Authority, Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group and local experts.

They also assessed the quality of supervision and education provision across other departments at the hospital.

Chief executive of Bedford Hospital NHS Trust Stephen Conroy said: "We have worked incredibly hard over the past eight months to ensure we embed best practice in education."

More paediatricians have been recruited to support the junior medical staff and Mr Conroy pledged to "maintain focus on continual improvement in education and learning".