Pru Maskell, Councillor for Braunton West & Georgeham is writing to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust for "an independent inquiry into the suspension of maternity services and the wider impact of the merger on healthcare provision and health inequalities in North Devon."
In Cllr Maskell's full letter (attached) states her many reasons asking for this inquiry including:
"The resignation of Dr Karen Davies, a highly respected consultant at North Devon District Hospital and former Medical Director of the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, is particularly concerning. Dr Davies has stated that she stepped down because she believed the Trust had mishandled the maternity crisis. She has also said that, over a period of two years, she repeatedly warned senior leaders about staffing shortages, patient safety concerns and a poor workplace culture.
Most troubling of all is the suggestion that these warnings were not acted upon and that a proposal for additional support, which may have enabled the maternity unit to remain open, was rejected by the Board."
She is asking people to back her letter and sign her petition for an inquiry by completeing this survey.
