Health

Pembrokeshire links to Chester Hospital CEO in centre of Lucy Letby row

Published

1 year ago

August 20, 2023

THE SHOCKING case of Lucy Letby, a nurse found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six others, has resonated across the medical community. This national scandal has taken a local twist with revelations of its ties to Pembrokeshire.

Tony Chambers, who once held a key position at Hywel Dda health board, and was often based at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest, moved on to become the Chief Executive at Countess of Chester Hospital around February 2013. Chambers was at the helm during the harrowing incidents involving Letby. According to the Guardian, he had directed senior doctors to apologise to Letby in 2017, even amidst ongoing concerns over her actions. These apologies were premised on two external reviews which did not specifically delve into Letby’s involvement in the infant deaths.

**Lucy Letby: Found guilty of murdering seven babies**

Back in 2010, as the director of planning, performance, and delivery, Tony Chambers initiated the downgrading of Withybush hospital. A leaked document from the Hywel Dda Health Board outlined long-term plans to remove histopathology from Withybush. Addressing this leaked information, Chambers stated that the report had been commissioned in light of increasing concerns regarding the “fragility” of the histopathology service. He remarked, “There is an issue around the safety and sustainability of that service. All you’ve got is a report with a range of options and a few recommendations but there’s no process around decision making, around a preferred option. We’ve tried to explain to you that safety and quality is our bottom line, but irrespective of all of that, your concern is that something is moving out.”

In 2012, autopsy and cellular pathology services were shifted from Withybush Hospital to Carmarthen. The local press acquired a document detailing the proposal to merge Cellular Pathology Laboratory and Autopsy Services. This report suggested the transfer of cellular pathology laboratory resources from Withybush to Glangwili and centralising all autopsies at the latter location. Chambers, who was instrumental in this decision, cited the need to address safety concerns. He stated, “The community health council has been fully briefed and we are currently engaging with staff and no decisions have been made.”

**Lucy Letby: Sent sympathy card to parents of baby she ‘murdered’, court told**

Furthermore, The Pembrokeshire Herald understands that Tony Chambers left his latest position with a hefty pension, estimated at £1 million. Subsequently, he held several other lucrative positions within the NHS.

The revelations of senior doctors being asked to extend apologies and express trust, particularly when suspicions loomed large, portrays a concerning picture. Chambers appears central to this narrative, with his decisions from both his tenure in Pembrokeshire and at Countess of Chester coming under the scanner.

Throughout the trial we heard that Lucy Letby’s colleagues were ordered to apologise to her after repeatedly raising concerns that the nurse may have been behind a series of unexplained baby deaths.

Senior doctors had warned for months that Letby was the only staff member present during the sudden collapses and deaths of a number of premature babies on the Countess of Chester hospital’s neonatal unit.

She was not removed from the ward until early July 2016, a year after a doctor first alerted a hospital executive to a potential link. By that time she had murdered seven babies and attempted to kill another six, a court found on Friday.

The Countess of Chester hospital NHS foundation trust is facing serious questions about how it responded to concerns raised about Letby and whether it should have acted sooner.

Hospital executives ordered a formal review into the spike in deaths in June 2016, a year after Letby’s killings began. Letby was removed from the unit the following month, and the police were not contacted for almost another year after that.

After the conclusion of the 10-month trial, a Guardian investigation based on new documents, interviews with hospital consultants and reporting from the trial, has found that: According to two consultant paediatricians, in July 2016 a hospital executive said contacting the police would damage the hospital’s reputation and turn the neonatal unit into a crime scene, after one senior doctor recommended bringing in criminal investigators.

As stated, Tony Chambers’ apology was ordered on the basis of two external reviews, which executives felt exonerated Letby. However, neither review was designed to examine whether she, or any other member of staff, was responsible for the deaths and both recommended that several deaths be investigated further. Doctors were told in early 2017 that Letby’s parents had threatened to refer them to the General Medical Council after her removal from the unit, according to internal documents.

While the grim events at Countess of Chester are a national tragedy, for Pembrokeshire residents, they also signify the need for introspection, especially given Chambers’ connection to local medical decision-making.

CONCERNS IN NORTH WALES

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for North Wales, Darren Millar MS, has called for a statement and assurances from the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in the wake of the Lucy Letby trial.

Letby, who worked as a nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital, was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more in a trail that ended this week.

Commenting on the issue, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for North Wales, Darren Millar MS said:

“This is a devasting and shocking case which is causing a great deal of alarm in North Wales.

“Maternity services at the Countess of Chester Hospital have been used by many mothers from North East Wales over many years. So, it is vital that the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board makes a statement about when it was altered to concerns about baby deaths at the Countess of Chester and whether pregnant women from North Wales continued to be referred to the hospital after that date.”

“The people of North Wales need these assurances from the Health Board and the Welsh Government’s Health Minister, given that the NHS in North Wales was in special measures at the time that concerns were raised.”

He added: “We also need to know what action is being taken to ensure that there is full disclosure of such concerns in the future when cross border healthcare arrangements are in place between one NHS body and another to ensure that patients are protected from unsure risk of harm.”

Health

Hywel Dda Health Board announces Community Vaccination Centres

Published

2 days ago

January 28, 2025

Tom Sinclair

HYWEL Dda University Health Board is organizing pop-up community vaccine centres to make it easier for eligible individuals to access their flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

To check your eligibility for the flu and/or COVID-19 vaccine:

Visit: phw.nhs.wales
Contact the health board: 0300 303 8322 (Option 1)
Email: [email protected]

If you are eligible, you can either drop in at one of the centres listed below or book an appointment using the details above.

New clinics are being arranged for February. Stay updated by visiting the health board’s webpage:
Seasonal Flu Vaccinations

Vaccination Centres and Schedules

Carmarthenshire

Carmarthen Athletic RFC
Athletic Park, Johnstown, Carmarthen, SA31 3QY

Monday, January 27: 9:30am–4:45pm
Tuesday, January 28: 9:30am–4:45pm
Wednesday, January 29: 9:30am–4:45pm
Thursday, January 30: 9:30am–4:45pm

Llandeilo Fawr Civic Hall
17 Crescent Road, Llandeilo, SA19 6HW

Friday, January 31: 10:00am–4:45pm

Pontyberem Memorial Hall
Coalbrook Road, Pontyberem, Llanelli, SA15 5HU

Tuesday, February 4: 9:30am–4:30pm

Llandovery RFC
Church Bank Playing Fields, Llandovery, SA20 0BA

Thursday, February 6: 10:00am–4:30pm
Friday, February 7: 10:00am–4:30pm

Ceredigion

Tregaron Memorial Hall
The Square, Tregaron, SY25 6JL

Monday, January 27: 10:00am–4:30pm

New Quay Memorial Hall
Ffordd Towyn Road, New Quay, SA45 9QQ

Tuesday, January 28: 9:30am–4:45pm
Wednesday, January 29: 9:30am–4:45pm

The Pwerdy-Powerhouse Community Arts Centre
Chapel Street, Pont Tyweli, Llandysul, SA44 4AH

Tuesday, February 4: 10:00am–4:45pm
Wednesday, February 5: 10:00am–4:45pm

Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire Archives
Prendergast, Haverfordwest, SA61 2PE

Tuesday, January 28: 9:30am–4:50pm

Regency Hall
King George V Playing Fields, Milford Street, Saundersfoot, SA69 9NG

Friday, January 31: 9:30am–4:45pm

Neyland MVC
Unit 1, Honeyborough Retail Park, SA73 1SE

Monday, February 3: 9:30am–4:45pm
Wednesday, February 5: 9:30am–4:45pm

Llwyngwair Manor
Newport, Pembrokeshire, SA42 0LX

Thursday, February 6: 10:00am–4:30pm

Bloomfield House
Redstone Road, Narberth, SA67 7ES

Friday, February 7: 10:00am–4:45pm

Health

RCN demands urgent action and transparency on corridor care in Wales

Published

2 days ago

January 28, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE RCN today issued a strong call to action to the Welsh government, urging them to take decisive steps to eradicate corridor care – a practice that is unsafe, undignified, and unsustainable. The most vulnerable in society, including many older people, bear the brunt of corridor care –where patients are treated in hallways and other inappropriate settings due to bed shortages.

Corridor care compromises patient safety and dignity by delaying timely treatment, reducing privacy, and increasing anxiety and stress. For the nursing workforce, it worsens workloads, contributes to burnout, and undermines their ability to provide quality care.

In open letters to the Welsh Government, NHS Wales, key watchdogs and advocates, the RCN has called for action on eight steps to end corridor care in Wales. The RCN’s eight recommendations include protecting patient safety and supporting the nursing profession by declaring care in chairs for over 24 hours a “never event” and fostering a culture where nursing staff can raise safety concerns without fear. Key steps include increase weekend staffing that can enable timely discharges, restoring District Nurse numbers to 2010 levels, and investing in social care to ensure patients can transition from hospitals to appropriate care settings promptly.

Additionally, the Government must pause hospital bed reductions and review capacity to ensure adequate care in both community and hospital settings. Investing in the nursing workforce and fully implementing the Six Goals for Urgent and Emergency Care programme is critical. NHS Wales must be empowered to divert patients to neighbouring services when necessary, easing pressure on overstretched facilities and improving outcomes.

Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said: “Nurses are facing immense challenges in maintaining high standards of patient care amidst the growing prevalence of corridor and chair care in hospitals. The RCN’s recent report starkly highlights the stories of nurses who are striving to provide quality care in these difficult conditions. Despite the lack of proper facilities and the strain of overcrowded hospitals, nurses continue to demonstrate remarkable dedication and resilience. They often work long hours under intense pressure, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care even when resources are stretched thin.”

“Our recommendations provide a clear and achievable roadmap to ensure patients receive care in the right place, at the right time, and by the right professional. The nursing workforce is ready to lead the way – but we need the Welsh government to act now.”

The RCN is calling on the Welsh Government to engage all health care stakeholders, listen to the expertise of the nursing workforce, and prioritise patient safety above all else. The time to end corridor care is now.

Health

Leading pharmacies demand tougher regulation on online sale of weight-loss jabs

Published

3 days ago

January 27, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PHARMACIES are calling for stricter regulation of online sales of weight-loss injections, warning of risks to patient safety amid predictions of a surge in demand this year.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), representing independent community pharmacies, has urged the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to require more thorough consultations with patients before dispensing weight-loss injections and other high-risk medications online.

The NPA cautioned that existing regulations allow medicines to be supplied without adequate consultation or access to patient records, leaving patients vulnerable. They called for a mandatory two-way consultation process to ensure prescribers have a full understanding of patients’ medical histories before issuing such treatments.

Greater safeguards needed

Responding to draft GPhC guidelines, the NPA criticised the proposed safeguards, stating they “still leave the door open for medicines to be prescribed and supplied without appropriate two-way patient consultation or access to a full clinical picture, particularly with high-risk medicines.”

The association recommended prescribers engage in direct dialogue with patients—either in person or via telephone—before offering weight-loss medications such as Mounjaro injections. The NPA also stressed the importance of obtaining comprehensive medical histories, rather than relying solely on online questionnaires.

Nick Kaye, Chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said:
“Obesity is one of the biggest challenges facing our country, and pharmacies want to play their part in helping patients achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
“Weight-loss injections can be effective when prescribed as part of a carefully managed programme, but the current regulations allow some patients to access these medications inappropriately, without proper consultation or examination of medical records.”

Addressing rising demand

The call for tighter regulations comes as demand for weight-loss treatments is expected to rise, with the government planning to expand the rollout of such medications. Many pharmacies already dispense weight-loss treatments or include them in private weight-loss programmes, emphasising a need for best practices to prioritise patient safety.

The NPA highlighted cases of patients who had been inappropriately prescribed weight-loss injections, including individuals with eating disorders or those with body mass indexes (BMI) outside the licensed range. Such cases increase the risk of severe adverse effects.

Kaye added:
“Medicines are not like ordinary goods for sale; they must be handled with great care because they have the power to harm as well as to heal. We urge the GPhC to make a full consultation compulsory for high-risk medicines and ensure supply is prioritised for those with the greatest clinical need, including those with type 2 diabetes.”

Warning against unregulated sellers

The NPA and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have also warned against purchasing weight-loss injections from unregulated sources, such as beauty salons or social media platforms. Counterfeit medications from these suppliers pose significant health risks.

The NPA advised patients to consult a pharmacist if they are unsure about weight-loss treatments, ensuring they receive safe and effective care as part of a programme to achieve sustainable lifestyle changes.