The Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee of Devon County Council met on Thursday, 24 September 2026, to discuss the ongoing issues surrounding the temporary suspension of maternity services at North Devon District Hospital. The meeting focused on the safe restoration of services, the impact of the suspension, and lessons learned, with significant public participation highlighting the distress caused by the situation.

Safe and Sustainable Restoration of North Devon Maternity Services

A central theme of the meeting was the urgent need for the safe reopening of maternity services at North Devon District Hospital. Sam Higginson, Chief Executive of the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, explained that the suspension was due to critical staffing fragility, particularly a shortage of obstetric consultants. The trust had been attempting to recruit substantive staff for over a year without success, relying on locum staff who could leave at short notice. While a new locum consultant was due to start in October, this would still leave the rota short of the required eight consultants for safe reopening. The trust is offering significant financial incentives to attract staff, but acknowledged that this is a national shortage issue. Councillor Dermot McGeough questioned the timing of these incentives, suggesting they should have been implemented earlier, and asked for accountability from senior leadership. Councillor Syed Jusef expressed frustration at the repeated delays in reopening, questioning the guarantee of the 12 October date and the prioritization of money over lives. Councillor Ed Tyldesley raised concerns about the enhanced remuneration package not being activated until July, despite years of staffing pressures, and questioned the reliability of data from the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT). Councillor Jacqueline Fry asked how the trust would avoid similar situations in the future, particularly with overseas recruitment, and Councillor Robin Julian criticised the lack of lessons learned from a previous closure in 2015. Councillor Stuart Rogers BEM highlighted the lack of response from the Department of Health and the Prime Minister, and questioned the impact of ambulance diversions to Exeter. Councillor Sara Wilson raised concerns about winter pressures and the impact on rural roads and local triage. Councillor Jess Bailey proposed the formation of a North Devon Task Force to address these issues collectively.

Vanessa Purday, Chief Medical Officer at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, addressed concerns about the reopening criteria, explaining that a full rota of eight consultants was needed, with at least three-quarters being permanent staff. She acknowledged the difficulty in recruiting permanent staff and the risk associated with relying on locums. Purday also discussed the challenges of international recruitment and the need to attract staff to rural areas. She confirmed that the trust is working to integrate teams across sites and is reviewing induction rates and caesarean section rates.

Peter Collins, Chief Officer for Population Health Data and Insights at the Devon Integrated Care Board (ICB), acknowledged the financial pressures on the NHS but stated that the savings plans had no direct relationship with the maternity service issues. He stressed the need for a collective approach to address the challenges in rural and coastal communities.

Impact of Suspension and Mitigations

The impact of the maternity service suspension on women, babies, and families was a significant focus. Katie Quick, speaking on behalf of Maternity Matters, shared harrowing accounts of women experiencing anxiety, fear of travelling long distances in labour, and the tragic stillbirth of a baby due to delayed care. She called for the formation of a scrutiny task group with power to request documents and hold the trust to account. Simon Pollack questioned the lack of quantitative data on the impact of the closure and the definition of serious incidents. Evie Hawkins shared her experience of a premature birth at 28 weeks, highlighting the critical importance of timely access to neonatal care and the subsequent support from the neonatal outreach team, which has now stopped. Olivia, a mother who recently gave birth to her son Isaac, who did not survive, expressed gratitude for the care received at Barnstaple Hospital and the time with her son, fearing this would not have been possible if she had given birth elsewhere.

Lara Grigg from Devon's Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) described the organisation's work in representing service users and acting as a critical friend to the NHS. She acknowledged the impact of the suspension on families' mental health and the anxiety surrounding travel to Exeter. Grigg highlighted the need for greater funding for the MNVP to adequately capture the experiences of families. Councillor Henry Gent raised concerns about the potential for increased induction and caesarean rates due to the closure and the strain on antenatal and postnatal care. Councillor Robin Julian questioned the exit interviews of locum staff and the use of technology for remote supervision.

SWASFT provided data indicating no significant increase in ambulance response times attributed to the closure, though they acknowledged system challenges in evaluating the full impact. Councillor Ed Tyldesley requested clarification on the ambulance service data and expressed concern about the sample size of the multi-agency impact assessment.

Lessons Learned and Fragile Services

The committee discussed the lessons learned from the crisis, with a strong emphasis on the need for better communication, transparency, and a more robust approach to workforce planning. Councillor Jess Bailey proposed the formation of a North Devon Task Force, drawing parallels with successful interventions in children's social care. Councillor Robin Julian criticised the lack of action since 2015 and called for a fundamental change in approach. Councillor Sara Wilson highlighted the specific challenges faced by rural and coastal communities, including Ilfracombe, and the need for national policy recognition of their fragility.

Peter Collins from the ICB discussed the dynamic nature of identifying fragile services and the need for a clear process to understand when intervention is required. He acknowledged that the current business continuity plan was too inwardly focused and committed to updating it to include a wider range of stakeholders. Councillor Jess Bailey and Councillor Sara Wilson advocated for a task force approach, with a commitment to weekly meetings to scrutinise progress.

Councillor Robin Julian raised concerns about the locum contracts and the one-week notice period, questioning the drawing up of these contracts. Vanessa Purday clarified that agency staff have shorter notice periods, while fixed-term contracts have a standard month's notice. She also addressed the use of technology for remote supervision, explaining that while it can be used for some aspects of care, direct physical presence is essential for obstetric services.

The committee also discussed the importance of co-production and ensuring that the voices of lived experience are at the centre of decision-making. Councillor Jess Bailey proposed that the committee continue to scrutinise the reopening of maternity services and consider recommendations for a standing overview group.

The meeting concluded with the committee agreeing to a series of recommendations, including the formation of a Northern Devon Task Force, a commitment to a clear reopening plan, and continued scrutiny of the maternity services. The committee also agreed to seek an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to discuss the issues.