Latest news with #NHSDevon
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Inspectors find 'widespread failings' in Torbay SEND service
Significant concerns have been raised by inspectors over special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services in part of Devon.A report published on Wednesday by regulator Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission into the Torbay SEND local area partnership highlighted "widespread and/or systemic failings".Issues raised by the report included too many children and young people with SEND issues having to wait an "unacceptable time" to have their needs Council and NHS Devon, which are responsible for running services, said they were committed to addressing the issues raised by the report. 'Long-standing issues' The inspection, which was carried out in March, said those responsible for governance did not have an "accurate understanding" of the partnership's strategic SEND priorities."The resulting lack of strategic working and effective joint commissioning has resulted in poor communication and collaboration between the local area partnership and families," the report added leaders had not urgently of effectively addressed systemic and significant weaknesses highlighted in a previous inspection in report said: "Many long-standing issues, particularly the waiting times for assessment and diagnosis, parental dissatisfaction and the high proportion of children and young people with SEND being excluded and becoming NEET [not in education, employment or training], have remained unresolved issues."A monitoring inspection was set to be carried out within the next 18 months before a full reinspection in three years, the report partnership has been asked to prepare a priority action plan to address issues identified in the report, inspectors added. In a joint statement, Torbay Council and Nancy Meehan, director of children's services, and Su Smart, director of women and children's improvement at NHS Devon, said improvement work was already under said a number of areas were highlighted in the report as "doing well", including the work of the Mental Health in Schools Team, the strength of a neurodiversity support programme and early years statement added the partnership was committed to addressing the issues and called for "systemic reform at the national level" to help with meaningful and lasting statement said: "We are committed to ongoing improvement across all SEND provision and will continue to work with parents, carers and practitioners to develop and strengthen it."Our priority remains the wellbeing and success of our children and young people."The BBC has contacted the Department for Health and Social Care for comment.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Devon heart attack care trial pulled to review feedback
A proposal to trial changes to heart attack services in part of Devon has been withdrawn to allow time to consider feedback on the Devon's Integrated Care Board (ICB) was due to discuss a "test and learn" process for out-of-hours services in Torbay and Exeter during a meeting on part of the move, the trial could have seen patients driven to hospital in Exeter rather than Torbay to help cut costs and release resources to cut treatment following concerns raised locally, NHS Devon said it had decided to delay the proposal so comments can be reviewed before an updated plan is presented to the ICB in July. 'Deeply concerning' A report which formed part of the trial from NHS Devon said it believed consolidating centres might "provide increased value with minimal and clinically acceptable impact on safety and quality".However, the idea was criticised by Liberal Democrat MPs Steve Darling and Caroline Voaden who both raised the issue in the House of MP Darling said the proposal put patients at risk of not receiving treatment fast enough while South Devon MP Voaden said it would put people in critical Torbay Conservative MP Kevin Foster also raised concerns with the trial, which he described as "deeply concerning". In a statement on Wednesday, NHS Devon said its chair and chief executive had decided to pull the plans from the board meeting off the back of "wide-ranging" comments from politicians, health professionals and patients."This will enable the feedback to be fully considered and allow time to reflect on whether such a process will lead to clarity on future commissioning arrangements to ensure the long-term sustainability of this important service," NHS Devon added its key priority was to commission "safe, reliable and sustainable" services for the future of healthcare in the Devon said: "We will engage with our clinicians and partners to design this and find the most effective solutions for the whole population of Devon."An updated proposal will be presented to the board in July, taking into account the valuable feedback received."
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Devon MPs concerned over proposal to move coronary care
Two Devon MPs have raised fears about a proposal to move out-of-hours coronary care from Torbay to Exeter, believing the move could endanger comes after the NHS and the integrated care board (ICB) said it was considering stopping out-of-hours coronary care in Torbay and moving treatment to Exeter Devon MP Caroline Voaden said the move would "put people in critical danger" and called for a rethink, while Torbay MP Steve Darling said the proposal could put residents at "risk of tissue death".An NHS spokesperson said: "Our board of directors has not made any decision on this proposed test of change." 'Urge everyone to call 999' They added the NHS was "committed to working with our cardiology clinical leads" to "ensure their thoughts were captured" and shared with NHS Devon to help inform its spokesperson also said: "We continue to urge everyone to call 999 or visit our emergency department if they have a chest pain or a suspected heart attack."Mr Darling has pressed for an urgent meeting with the board to explain the rationale behind the potential change. In a letter to the board's chief executive following the debate, he said: "Your cardiologists have told us that for residents in Torbay, Dartmouth or elsewhere in South Devon their chances of full recovery from a heart attack could be severely impacted by the extra time needed to get to Exeter."In our view this does not provide equitable care for all – would you agree?"
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Uncertainty over blood test service in North Devon
Patients with long-term health conditions in part of north Devon have said they face round-trips of more than 60 miles for some blood tests after a medical group announced it would no longer provide Country Medical Group has announced it will no longer offer blood tests requested by hospitals at its Holsworthy and Hatherleigh surgeries from 1 April due to funding Devon said plans are being put in place to ensure secondary care requested blood tests will continue to be provided to Bennallick, 62, of Hatherleigh requires regular blood tests due to having multiple sclerosis (MS) and haemochromatosis and said the decision had given her sleepless nights. She said: "I have not slept properly since 17 February when I found out about this and all my symptoms are being exacerbated by the stress I am under."The difference is going to my local surgery which is less than a mile away or going to the Royal Devon and Exeter (RD&E) which is a 78 mile (126km) round trip for a 30 second blood test." Michelle VonAhn, 68, from Holsworthy has neuroendocrine cancer, and requires a monthly blood test before receiving ongoing treatment at North Devon District Hospital in said this decision could result in her having to make a 60 mile (96km) round trip to get a blood test."I think it's unreasonable to expect people living in a rural environment like this to travel so far for something which is such a basic diagnostic technique. "There needs to be a local solution." A spokesperson for NHS Devon said: "NHS Devon continues to work closely with the Royal Devon who have this week described to us the plans they are putting in place to ensure they can provide secondary care requested blood tests (that are currently provided by Ruby Country Medical Group) from April 1, 2025."We will continue to support them to ensure this is achieved and Royal Devon will provide further updates and information to Ruby Country Medical Group and patients regarding access and location of services as soon as it becomes available." Dr Rachel Ali, chair of the Devon Local Medical Committee, said about a quarter of GP practices in Devon have decided to stop offering blood tests requested by said: "We've been offered a little bit of money towards the costs of running this service but it doesn't cover the costs. "It means practices are having to pay out of their baseline in order to do blood tests for the hospital that the hospitals are already paid to do."Because they are having to do that, they are going to have to stop doing other things and practices do not want to stop offering their patients important general practice services."She said hubs have been set up in areas including Plymouth, South Devon and Torbay to carry out this service.
BBC News
23-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Views sought to improve NHS services in Devon
Views are being sought for the development of NHS services in Devon said local and national public engagement would help shape the national 10-year health plan, which would include a shift from analogue to digital and treating sickness to Moore, chief executive at NHS Devon, said: "Everybody's experience of using the NHS in Devon, positive or challenging, can help us shape services in the future."NHS Devon said the plan would be published in spring 2025, adding the deadline for feedback was 17:00 GMT on 28 February. 'Improve local services' The NHS in Devon said it launched local engagement about the 10-year health plan in November 2024, running parallel with the national change NHS said people were encouraged to fill in the survey to ensure "insights from local people can be used to improve local services"."We have received over 2,500 pieces of feedback so far via the survey, postcards, drop-in events and workshops," Mr Moore said."We want to hear from as many people as possible, so if you haven't shared your views, there is still time to complete the survey online."
