A river-port town in North Devon with a wool-exporting history
Health ministers push binding national maternity standards and a new commissioner to end postcode gaps, following multiple investigations into failures. The plan aims to improve patient experience and address racial inequalities in maternity care.
Maternity services at North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple have been suspended due to staffing shortages, forcing expectant families to consider long journeys to Exeter or Taunton. Trust leaders say the move is temporary and focused on safety, with other maternity services continuing elsewhere at the Royal Devon site.
The government has announced binding national maternity standards through a new taskforce, aiming to end postcode disparities and tackle racial inequalities. The plan follows long‑standing concerns about care quality and recent safety data.
In Exeter, jurors hear how Alexander Lewis-Ranwell was released from custody twice in 24 hours before killing three elderly men in February 2019. Inquests discuss police handling, mental health care, and custody decisions.