Revealed: Tories accused of neglect as children’s critical care units run out of beds

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Seriously ill children are being turned away from hospitals because of a “year-round” bed shortage in NHS critical care units, The Independent can reveal. Iona’s father, Christopher Buckingham, told The Independent: “I remember at the time, on the afternoon of Sunday 4 Dec 2022, how terrifying it was to be told Iona needed to be transferred to PICU and it would have to be done by the specialist team, but there were currently no beds and the team wouldn’t be able to reach the hospital for several hours.” Dr Imogen Staveley, interim chief medical officer at Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board, and Hemant Nemade, medical director at Northampton General Hospital, said the trust was saddened by Iona’s death, and that, following the inquest, it had reviewed recommendations and responded to the coroner. They said: “The impact on staff and moral distress is huge, and multiple staff are leaving.” Additional data analysed by The Independent found that NHS hospitals are unable to meet rising demand, with nearly one in five exceeding their capacity in critical care units in the last quarter of 2022 alone. Leaked emails from April reveal concerns from national NHS leaders and local hospitals with critical care units that Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust was “surging” with acutely unwell children, beyond the number of beds it has funding for.