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Health

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

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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

Phone calls to reduce GP visits for 42% of patients this winter

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NEW research from the Royal Voluntary Service has shown that a simple phone call could significantly impact well-being, reducing GP visits by 42% among patients who receive regular telephone support.

The charity urges those feeling isolated this winter, particularly the elderly, to use telephone support services as a way to improve health and free up GP appointments, potentially reducing waiting times. It is estimated that if people experiencing loneliness in later life reduced their GP visits by just one appointment a year, this could free up 588,000 appointments annually.

As winter approaches, the Royal Voluntary Service reports that isolation can sharply increase, especially for adults over 75, with nearly half (47%) of people in this age group feeling lonelier in the colder months. Among those who live alone, one in six say they feel forgotten during winter, and 20% report having no one to turn to for emotional support.

In addition to loneliness, older generations face several winter worries, including increased heating costs, cited by 55% of respondents, and reduced ability to go out, which 29% said they dreaded as winter sets in.

To address these challenges, Royal Voluntary Service has launched the Stay Safe, Warm and Well campaign in partnership with Yakult. The campaign provides a guide for practical and emotional winter preparation, encouraging sign-ups for telephone support services and offering access to the Virtual Village Hall online community for events and activities. Practical advice on money-saving and energy-saving tips is also available through the guide.

Royal Voluntary Service Ambassador Elaine Paige, who has herself made support calls for the charity, described the positive impact these calls can have. “A warm, friendly phone call can transform someone’s day. Some conversations leave you smiling long after the call ends—something we could all use, especially in winter. For those facing the season alone, there are amazing people ready to remind you that you’re not alone,” she said.

The charity’s support services match volunteers with individuals across the UK for friendly chats, reducing isolation and boosting mental health. Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service, said: “The feedback that conversations with volunteers are helping people to visit their GP less is testament to the value of connection.”

Yakult Marketing Manager Reshma Patel added: “Our research with Royal Voluntary Service shows that one in four adults over 75 feel they’d benefit from practical and emotional support over winter. We are committed to helping people access the Stay Safe, Warm and Well guide to support their overall well-being.”

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Health

Over 1500 patients in Wales blocked from leaving hospital

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THE First Minister Eluned Morgan has been pressured on her government’s failure to clear hospital beds in Wales, leading to delays for people seeking urgent medical care.

According to a report from BBC Wales, there are currently 1,600 patients across Wales waiting to be discharged from hospital compared to England where there are currently 12,000.

However, when comparing population sizes, it’s revealed that Wales is performing worse than its closest neighbour, with 0.05% of the population of Wales stuck in hospital beds compared to 0.02% in England.

The Welsh Labour government have been criticised for their failure to clear out backlogs in the system,

The Liberal Democrats have now called on the Welsh Government to provide urgent social care funding to local authorities to help alleviate pressures on the NHS in Wales.

Speaking in the Siambr on Tuesday, The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS described how over twenty years of Welsh Labour government in Wales had let to a “desperate situation in our NHS, with services nearing breaking point.

Welsh Labours refusal to change their approach and fix a system clogged up by mismanagement is directly responsible for the current situation faced by thousands of patients.

Delays in discharging patients from hospitals are placing huge pressures on both staff and those awaiting care, but there is a way out of this mess and the answer lies in social care.

I have been told by numerous professionals working in healthcare that the first step towards fixing our NHS is made by providing local authorities with the funding to fix social care services within their respected areas.

By dedicating adequate investment into our social care services, we can make life easier for patients discharged from hospital while also lifting the strain on health services throughout Wales.”

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Education

Concern over ‘highest-ever’ school bullying rates

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RATES of bullying in Welsh schools have reached record levels, with more than one in three children and young people reporting being bullied, the Senedd heard.

Gareth Davies raised concerns about a 6% increase in bullying between 2021 and 2023, according to a survey of more than 130,000 pupils in 200 secondary schools.

The Conservatives’ shadow mental health minister told the Senedd: “These results are higher than ever previously reported in the survey, which is deeply troubling.”

He said the latest survey showed regression on “just about every metric of pupil wellbeing”, including growing social isolation and a rise in behavioural issues.

Mr Davies, who worked in the NHS in north Wales for more than a decade, pointed to a 2021 legal duty to have regard to the mental health of children and young people.

He said: “The mental health of pupils has declined and reports of bullying in schools have only increased, so the Welsh Government have failed in that duty, unfortunately.”

Plaid Cymru’s Cefin Campbell called for an update to 2019 anti-bullying guidance for school governing bodies following a commitment from the Welsh Government eight months ago.

The shadow education secretary focused on the impact of poverty, warning the high cost of school uniforms can cause stress and lead to bullying.

Mr Campbell, a former lecturer, expressed concerns about penalties, such as detention, for pupils over non-compliance with uniform policies.

Raising a report on “horrific” experiences of racism in Welsh schools, he said one pupil was told a classmate did not want to sit next to them due to the colour of their skin.

“That’s entirely unacceptable in our schools,” said Mr Campbell.

Labour’s Carolyn Thomas warned children’s mental health is at an all-time low, pointing to smartphones and social media as major contributing factors.

She said: “They can be used to bully, manipulate and control, sending young people into an isolated world of despair, not thinking they can get out of it or go to somebody for help.”

The North Wales politician highlighted a petition calling for a ban on phones in schools.

Rhys ab Owen, an independent who represents South Wales Central, stressed that bullying can impact people for decades to come after school.

“But it’s an issue that doesn’t affect learners equally,” he said. “In Cardiff, around a third of learners come from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

“And I was staggered to read a survey from 2020, which said that 61.5% of learners had expressed stereotypes over skin colour, religion and nationality.”

In a statement on November 12 to mark anti-bullying week, Lynne Neagle accepted that bullying continues to be an issue in Welsh schools.

Pledging to prioritise the problem, Wales’ education secretary said new statutory anti-bullying guidance will be published for consultation after Christmas.

Ms Neagle pointed to concerning trends, including 42% of girls scoring high or very high in a questionnaire on psychological problems compared with 27% of boys.

She told the Senedd: “I wouldn’t want to be a teenager growing up today.”

Ms Neagle stated the Welsh Government provided more than £800,000 this year for one of the biggest surveys of children and young people in the UK.

She said: “The link between bullying and mental health is well known. At its most extreme, young people have taken their own lives as a result of being bullied. This is a tragedy for the young life lost, for their family and friends and for whole communities.”

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