Child protection level criticised

Child protection services in Plymouth are below standards, says the CQC

Child protection procedures in Plymouth have been criticised by a regulator for "not meeting required standards"

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust and Plymouth Teaching PCT had not provided all staff with the relevant training.

The CQC said all trusts needed to improve standards following the Baby P case, as hospital staff could often spot signs of abuse and report them.

Plymouth Hospitals Trust said it only had 18 training places for 60 staff.

'Insufficient training'

The trust added that it was compliant in all other areas but lacked enhanced "level three" training for specialist staff including doctors and nurses.

Level three members of staff should be able to identity neglect or abuse, inform the appropriate bodies and put procedures into place to stop it.

The trust said: "Staff who work with children are initially trained and undergo refresher training every three years.

"Our staff have received their refresher training at level one and level two but there are some who have not received their level three training.

"This is due to insufficient training capacity being made available by the Local Safeguarding Children's Board." The boad was not immediately available to comment on this claim.

Plymouth Teaching PCT said it had now become fully compliant, but at the time of the survey it did not feel it had enough information to make that assurance.

The CQC was asked to look into child protection within the NHS by the Government after various opportunities to save Baby Peter's life were missed by a variety of agencies.