NHS TRUST

A mother was left clutching her dying baby after giving birth on a toilet at a new hospital because there were no trained staff. Catherine Brown endured the birth of her premature baby with only her mother for help as hospital staff said that they could not assist her because they were unqualified.

She had to wait 20 hours for a scan after she began haemorrhaging and was taken by ambulance to the hospital’s accident and emergency ward. Doctors advised her to have the pregnancy induced early because her life was at risk. Catherine was lying in a bed in a mixed-sex general ward when the labour started earlier than expected. She went to a toilet and gave birth to a boy 22 weeks early. He died almost immediately.

Queen’s Hospital in Romford, Essex, apologised for her ordeal and said that it was now employing gynaecological specialists. A spokesman for the trust said, “We would like to offer our sincere condolences. This matter has been fully investigated and senior medical and nursing staff have met with Ms Brown.” (Source: Times Online, Aug/07)

A new NHS walk-in centre has opened its doors to offer people treatments without appointments. The centre based at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary and will treat colds, sprains, and minor cuts. Managers said it would not be an overspill for the rest of the hospital but would compliment other services. At the moment it is open for nine hours a day, Monday to Friday but staff expect it to increase to 12 hours, seven days a week, later in the year.

Trish Thompson, from Derby City Primary Care Trust, said, "This will give patients a choice about what sort of treatment they require. There are lots of walk-in centres around the country and each one is different. Many are close to train stations and serve commuters who don't want to take a day off to see a doctor. We expect this one to adapt to the people of Derby. We will be seeing about 60 people a day for sprains, coughs and checks but that may grow as word gets around we are here." (Source: BBC News, Jul/07)

The trust which runs Derby's hospitals is to hire a fund-raising manager on a salary of up to £50,000 a year, having spent £17,000 on a 22-day review to make the decision. Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust hired a consultancy firm to investigate whether or not it should appoint a fund-raising manager.

Sandcliff A B Ltd, based in Wiltshire, was paid £773 a day to carry out a review of the trust's arrangements. The result was a recommendation to introduce the new role. The review looked at all fund-raising activities, including the Evening Telegraph's Magic Million Appeal, which aims to raise £1m for cancer equipment for Derby's hospitals.

A spokeswoman for the trust said the manager would "spearhead the implementation of a proactive fund-raising strategy." She said, "It is anticipated that the person will be full-time. Experienced fund-raisers are at a premium. It is difficult to recruit a fund-raiser for less than £35,000 and a typical head of fundraising can earn around £45,000. This often rises to £50,000."

Don Prime, chairman of the Magic Million Appeal, said, "There is a constant need for more income to supplement that which the Government gives to hospitals. Having said that, if they have to pay a lot of money to a manager, that is a loss." The trust spokeswoman said it was too early to tell if the money spent on the consultancy firm and on a fund-raising manager, who could start in February or March next year, was well spent.

She said, "Sandcliff A B Ltd's report gave the trust guidelines about how much money could feasibly be raised by a fund-raiser over a certain period. The aim is that by the end the first-year costs will be matched by an increase in income and by the end of the second year a minimum of £500,000 should have been raised. It is anticipated that at least this amount will be raised each year."

Brenda Dawe of Chellaston, raised £15,000 for various charities, including the Magic Million Appeal, said, "I think there is a need for a fund-raiser, but £50,000 sounds like a lot of money and I don't know how they will justify that. That money could be spent on equipment or specialist treatment at the hospital." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph)