Royal Stoke neonatal unit must install CCTV in medicine storage

The trust running Royal Stoke University Hospital has been told to install CCTV cameras covering medicine storage areas in its neonatal unit by the end of November.

The move is part of national measures to reduce the risk of harm to babies.

The neonatal unit must also meet requirements for access control and storage of insulin by 31st March 2027.

Hospital bosses were told about the changes at the latest University Hospital of North Midlands (UHNM) Trust board meeting on Wednesday 7th October.

What the Thirlwall Inquiry examined

The actions are in response to the Thirlwall Inquiry, which examined events at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2018.

The inquiry followed the conviction of Lucy Letby, a neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital, for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven others between 2015 and 2016.

It considered how concerns were raised and handled, and whether opportunities to prevent further harm were missed.

It also looked at the actions of managers, executives, boards, regulators and external organisations, and what changes are needed across the NHS to prevent similar events happening again.

Its findings were published last month, and a summary was presented to the UHNM Trust Board.

What the trust has been told to do

According to the report presented to the board, NHS England wrote to all trusts on 21st September 2026.

It advised that a number of actions should begin immediately while the Government considers the inquiry's recommendations in full.

NHS England has also asked all trust boards to formally consider the findings and seek assurance that equivalent circumstances could not arise within their own organisations.

The report said the inquiry made 17 recommendations.

They include enhanced neonatal safety measures such as CCTV monitoring, baby monitoring technology and stronger controls over insulin storage and access.

Other themes include improved safeguarding arrangements, with mandatory safeguarding training for all staff and board members, revised employment requirements and a national Suspicion of Deliberate Harm Protocol.

The report said: 'NHS England has already identified several actions requiring immediate local implementation. UHNM has commenced work in response to these requirements.'

Donna Brayford, Director of Midwifery at UHNM, told the board on Wednesday: "By November 30 we are being asked to implement CCTV in all medicine storage areas in child health and neonatal. We haven't had any further external advice as we stand at the moment."

She said: "By March we have to implement secure storage around insulin, being able to track who has removed insulin and where it has been administered to each patient. We have had no information about external funding from NHSE."

Non-executive director Professor Katie Maddock raised concerns about a two-tier system being created across the hospital.

She was speaking about the possibility of extra controls around insulin storage and access being put in place in one area and not in other departments.

It said: 'Overall, UHNM has existing governance, safeguarding, Freedom to Speak Up and patient safety arrangements in place. However, the publication of the inquiry provides an opportunity to review these arrangements against the inquiry findings, identify any gaps and strengthen assurance that concerns raised by staff are heard, escalated appropriately and acted upon promptly in the interests of patient safety.'

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