Nottingham: Bosses at failing maternity units 'should resign'

Councillors said bosses at maternity units run by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust should "stand aside"

A senior councillor has said bosses at a hospital trust, where maternity services were deemed unsafe by the UK's health watchdog, should resign.

The units at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust were rated as inadequate by the Care Quality Commission last year.

Now Nottinghamshire County Council's health scrutiny committee said leaders at the trust are "fully responsible".

The trust said it was "working hard to address the serious concerns".

In a report in September the Care Quality Commission (CQC) also described the trust as suffering from a culture of bullying and racial discrimination.

NUH operates Nottingham City Hospital and the Queen's Medical Centre.

The trust said it was "working hard to address the serious concerns"

During the council committee meeting on Tuesday, chairwoman Sue Saddington said: "It's a damning report, and I'm afraid I hold... the previous leadership team fully responsible.

"I believe that the senior leadership team that were there before [the trust] actually started to pick up and improve, should stand aside.

"I really feel anybody [who came in] before June should stand aside, and let new people come in with aspiration, inspiration and enthusiasm. And bring that unit back."

Analysis

Hugh Casswell, political reporter, BBC Radio Nottingham

Maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust were rated inadequate by the CQC last year.

An investigation found dozens of babies have died or been left with serious injuries over the course of a decade.

A further report in September this year found a culture of bullying at the trust as a whole.

As a result hospital bosses were called to discuss the issues at Nottinghamshire County Council's health scrutiny committee on Tuesday.

It has been reported that more than £91m compensation was paid out by NUH after more than 30 baby deaths.

NUH chairman Eric Morton said: "We would like to assure patients and colleagues that we are working hard to address the serious concerns highlighted in the recent CQC report, focussing on standards of leadership within the Trust.

"It's important to note that the report does not criticise clinical services and recognises the care, dignity, compassion and kindness that our staff provide for our patients; but it's our job as the leaders of the Trust to ensure that the foundations of our organisation - our processes, governance, and learning from incidents - improve to allow our teams to provide safe, high quality care within a positive, open and supportive culture."