Rob Sissons

A digital monitoring system for mental health patients, Oxevision, drew scrutiny during the Lampard Inquiry as the Leicestershire Partnership Trust explained its decision not to adopt the technology after pilots showed low patient consent and limited measurable benefits. Campaigners raised concerns over privacy and dignity, while the system’s developer and Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust defended its safety advantages and reduced nighttime disturbances. The Information Commissioner’s Office is investigating the developer, and NHS England reiterated that such technologies must comply with human rights requirements and obtain consent.

A £12.4m refurbishment has expanded the endoscopy unit at Queen’s Medical Centre, increasing capacity for complex procedures by 50 percent and improving patient flow, facilities, and privacy. The upgraded unit consolidates treatment spaces, adds new rooms, and is expected to reduce pressure on operating theatres while serving both local and regional patients. Staff say the modernised environment will enhance care quality and shorten waits for urgent endoscopy cases.

A grieving grandmother whose grandson was stillborn in 2022 warns that improvements to maternity care in Leicester are progressing too slowly following the release of a national investigation highlighting inconsistent and unsafe practices. The report identifies long waits, inadequate triage, unfit facilities and staff shortages at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, while also outlining systemic issues requiring urgent reform, including the creation of a national maternity and neonatal commissioner. Families report not being heard and safety concerns going unaddressed, while the trust acknowledges past failings and commits to continued improvements.