Latest news with #UniversityHospitalsSussex
Times
12-07-2025
- Health
- Times
Boss of NHS trust at centre of inquiry into 40 deaths resigns
The head of a Sussex NHS hospital at the centre of a police investigation into more than 40 deaths has stepped down. Dr George Findlay was chief medical officer at the NHS trust overseeing the Royal Sussex County Hospital from 2017 to 2021, which encompasses much of the period when alleged medical negligence took place. On Wednesday he announced he was quitting after three years as chief executive of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. Dozens of patients and their families had sent an open letter demanding he and his executive team resign over poor standards. The most recent full Care Quality Commission report, from May 2023, rated its leadership as 'inadequate'. Police are considering manslaughter charges at the trust after two whistleblowing surgeons revealed alleged medical negligence and a cover-up.
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust CEO to step down
The chief executive officer of an NHS trust covering parts of East and West Sussex has announced that he will step down after just over three years at the George Findlay, who has led University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust since July 2022, says that this is the "right moment to make a change".His decision comes as the trust prepares to publish its new strategy for Findlay said: "Leading such a large, diverse organisation is a hugely demanding job and I do not anticipate continuing to do so for a further five years." He said: "That means this is the right moment to make a change, and so I will be stepping down as chief executive. "It's been a huge privilege to lead this organisation – and most importantly the great people who make it what it is – but this is the right thing to do, and the right time to do it."During Dr Findlay's tenure the trust says it has both managed to reduce its waiting list by 18.5% and experienced a period of frozen recruitment for all non-clinical staff plus some senior medical it is also the subject of a police investigation into allegations of preventable deaths and of the trust, Philippa Slinger, added: "I would like to thank George for his service to the trust and its predecessor organisations. "He has overseen an impressive range of improvements, and I would like to wish him well for the future."Recruitment for a new CEO will now take place.
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Parents of Orlando Davis welcome national maternity inquiry
The parents of a baby who died as a result of hospital negligence have said a national inquiry into maternity services will "unravel a huge wider picture" of injury and midwife Robyn Davis and her husband Jonathan, from Steyning, West Sussex, lost their son Orlando 14 days after he was born by emergency caesarean at Worthing Hospital in September Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced an investigation into maternity failings in England, the couple said: "Unfortunately, this is happening everywhere."University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust's chief medical officer Prof Katie Urch, said it was "fully supporting this investigation to help improve maternity care". An inquest into Orlando's death found he had suffered brain damage after clinicians failed to recognise that Mrs Davis had developed hyponatremia - a lower than normal level of sodium in the bloodstream - during couple told the BBC they were told by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust that their case was "really rare".But, after speaking to other families, they discovered "this was not the case whatsoever". "We've very quickly found that, of course, there are multiple families that are not only going through baby loss, they're going through birth injuries, they're going through birth trauma," said couple said they hoped for a wider public inquiry, adding that they wanted to see real change."How many times do we find ourselves hearing of a maternity issue – children dying, mums passing or almost passing or being left with lifelong injuries," said Jonathan."[Then] it happens again."Improvements are also needed in how regulatory organisations support families looking for answers, he said, adding that the process felt like "an endurance race"."Robyn was a midwife at Worthing Hospital... so what chance does a normal member of the public have?" he said. 'Immense courage' Nicola Wise, the Care Quality Commission's director of secondary and specialist care, said: "Safe, high-quality maternity care for all should be the minimum expectation for women and babies – and is what staff working in maternity services across the country want to provide."The Nursing and Midwifery Council's interim chief executive and registrar, Paul Rees MBE, said: "It is vital that when people raise concerns with us, their experience is as positive and supportive as possible. We are working to improve both the timeliness of our investigations and the experience for everyone involved."A General Medical Council spokesperson said: "We take our responsibility extremely seriously and will investigate when there is evidence that indicates a doctor's current fitness to practise could be impaired."UH Sussex's chief medical officer, Prof Katie Urch, said bereaved families "have shown immense courage in sharing their experiences and we remain committed to listening to and learning from them".
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Doctors left me begging for help, says Goring sepsis patient
A man said he was left "begging for help" from doctors after he suffered life-changing injuries due to sepsis caused by failures at his local Robinson, 70, developed recurring sepsis for almost a year after being hospitalised on multiple occasions in Brighton and company director from Goring, in West Sussex, said "I've lost my freedom, confidence, business, very nearly my family home, and almost my will to live."Professor Katie Urch, chief medical officer for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We cannot publicly discuss any of the details of this case at this time, but we offer our heartfelt sympathies to Paul and his family." Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection where the body's immune system damages its own tissues and organs, according to the NHS. Mr Robinson was diagnosed with cancer in successfully had a lump removed from his lung. But during chemotherapy, he became unwell and was diagnosed with said he went through several relapses with sepsis and was in hospital for 13 days."I was left for 11 months with recurring, untreated sepsis – despite begging for help," he his care at Worthing Hospital and Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, he said there was a breakdown in communication between nurses, doctors and said there had been "systemic failures" and "ignored warnings" with his care."We asked for help 47 times, and we were ignored 47 times," he added. According to the UK Sepsis Trust, the medical condition kills more people than breast, bowel and prostate cancer being transferred to Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London, Mr Robinson said he had 14 "life-saving surgeries"."I lost a quarter of my back and my rib cage, leaving my lung outside of my body for over three years," he said. "And I had to learn to walk again, I was fed through a tube."Every day I see NHS campaigns about spotting the signs of sepsis. We knew the signs, we pleaded for help, and nobody listened." 'Catastrophic injury' Mr Robertson's wife, Carys, said her husband was "incredibly weak and frail"."Every day is a battle. The ordeal has caused unbelievable amounts of stress to his family," she said."I want those responsible to be held to account, so no other family goes through this horror. And making us suffer and wait years for justice just adds insult to catastrophic injury."The Royal Sussex County Hospital and Worthing Hospital are both run by University Hospitals Urch added: "We know that the family have many concerns about Mr Robinson's care, and we are committed to supporting the legal proceedings to ensure the family get the answers they need, and we can make necessary improvements if anything could have been done differently."
Telegraph
31-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Give trans staff extra breaks to adjust underwear, NHS LGBT group suggested
An LGBTQ+ group within an NHS hospital trust drew up plans to give trans staff extra breaks if they wore chest binders or had to tuck their genitals away. In draft guidance seen by The Telegraph, an LGBTQ+ staff network within the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust (UH Sussex) said trans colleagues 'may require extra scheduled breaks in their shift in order to have breaks from binding and tucking'. However, the trust said the new proposals, which also said women-only spaces should include trans women, had been dropped in February and would not be pursued following the Supreme Court ruling last month. Judges ruled that the Equality Act referred to biological women and biological sex, rather than those choosing to identify as a woman. But critics said the draft guidance raised concerns about the time spent by NHS staff on working up and consulting on these types of policies. The NHS has no specific advice for trans people who wear chest binders or tuck their genitals, but the actions are considered controversial by some because of the harm they can cause. Chest binding is when a woman wears an item of clothing to compress their breasts to look more like a man, while the 'tuck' involves pushing the testes and penis back between the legs to appear more female. Both can cause infections, inflammation and other health problems, doctors have warned, which in some cases can be irreversible or lead to infertility in biological males. The proposed guidance said: It is understood that employees in the UH Sussex LGBTQ+ staff network had written the 15-page document last year and sent it to other groups for consultation. One former employee at the trust said: 'If we're going to make allowances for people who have to use the toilets to change and do this, that and the other, should we not be making allowances for women with heavy periods, or people who have to pray three times a day? Why are we making allowances for one group of staff over everyone else?' Dr Alice Hodkinson, a co-founder of Biology in Medicine, a doctors' campaign group, said people binding or tucking were 'risking medical and psychological harm'. She said tucking male genitals 'between the buttocks can cause pain, inflammation, fertility problems and testicular torsion', while 'binding can cause chest and spine deformities, cysts, infections and difficulties breathing'. Dr Hodkinson added that testicular torsion 'is a surgical emergency requiring an immediate operation to preserve fertility and sexual function', saying: 'The UK National FGM Centre considers breast flattening to be a form of child abuse.' 'Disgraceful coming from a healthcare body' Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy at Sex Matters, a human rights charity, said the proposals for 'employees who are self-harming in pursuit of the impossible goal of sex change should never have made it onto paper, even as a draft'. She added: 'Tucking genitals and binding breasts are culturally motivated actions that cause permanent physical damage, just like breast ironing and the use of neck coils. The only difference is that self-harm in the name of trans identity is high status and fashionable. 'This blatant attempt to normalise such a harmful practice is particularly disgraceful coming from a healthcare body. It is a relief to know that NHS Sussex won't be taking it forward.' The draft guidance also told staff they should try and understand the impact of cross-sex hormones on any trans colleagues and their mood. 'It is also helpful to gain an understanding of if there are certain times that are better or worse for their mood and wellbeing e.g. when someone is prescribed testosterone, energy levels and mood can be lower towards the end of a medication cycle, and can vary greatly on the type of preparation,' it said. 'Feminising hormones can require a lot more consultation to achieve an appropriate dosage, and may similarly impact mood and energy levels.' UH Sussex said it had never had a policy on this and that this draft had been rejected in February, after being reviewed by management. A spokesman for the trust said: 'This draft paper is not trust policy or guidance, it never has been, and never will be. 'A colleague submitted it to a manager in February, for consideration, but it was not accepted.'
