Hello, its thursday, its 10 oclock, im victoria derbyshire, and were live from new broadcasting house. Last year we exposed the shocking conditions some families were living in, on a council owned block on a regeneration site in north london. They were living with cockroaches, security doors that didnt work so drug users and anyone else could come in at any time. We still have to live with the cockroaches, the mice, the rats, being broken into. This time the conservative Council Leader Daniel Thomas has agreed to be on the programme and the city of wuhan has been shut down to contain the virus that has infected more than 500 people and kill 17. The worry is
that this could spread from wuhan to other cities and we could see similar situations, other cities and we could see similarsituations, entire other cities and we could see similar situations, entire floors in hospitals are being cleared to make way for patients and we are being told this. A bbc investigation has learned that at least seven preventable baby deaths may have occurred within one nhs trust since 2016 leading to signifca nt concerns about Maternity Care there. Well talk to dawn powell, who lost one of her twins last year, when he was just four days old. That was after a series of hospital failings. Hi, and welcome to the programme. Were live until 11 this morning. We really want to hear from you this morning if you have a non secure tenancy. How does that affect you and your family . Non secure tenancy
is, let us know if you have them, are given to people who are homeless and the council has a duty to house and the council has a duty to house and you could be evicted in a few weeks notice but you are supposed to have the same rights in terms of standards of accommodation as private or secure tenants, so what does it mean to you to have a non secu re does it mean to you to have a non secure tenancy . Do send us an e mailand non secure tenancy . Do send us an e mail and you non secure tenancy . Do send us an e mailand you can non secure tenancy . Do send us an e mail and you can text. Or you can message us on e mail and you can text. Or you can message us on twitter. Asummary of a summary of the new so far this morning. Good morning. The chinese city of wuhan is effectively under lockdown as authorities desperately struggle to control the deadly coronavirud outbreak there. The Public Transport Network has been shut down, effectively quarantining 11 million people. 17 people have now died on the first us case has been confirmed. World leaders are gathering in jerusalem confirmed. World leaders are gathering injerusalem to mark the
70th 75th gathering injerusalem to mark the 70th 75th anniversary of the liberation of the auschwitz death camp in poland where more than a million people, mostly dues, died. Prince charles is amongst the World Leaders present and earlier planted a memorial tree with the israeli president. Knife crime in england and wales has hit a new record high according to official figures released just a few minutes ago. Knife offences recorded by police rose 7 in the year ending in september 2019 and there was also a surge in robberies which rose by 1296. Surge in robberies which rose by 12 . A bbc investigation has discovered that at least seven preve nta ble ba by discovered that at least seven preventable baby deaths may have occurred at one of englands largest Hospital Trust. East kent Nhs Foundation trust has apologised after significant concerns were raised about Maternity Services there with mistakes continuing for yea rs there with mistakes continuing for years after criticism was first raised. The Uns Highest Court has decided this morning to allow a case accusing myanmar of genocide against
rohingya muslims to go ahead. More than 700,000 fled from the army to neighbouring bangladesh in 2017. If judges decide that those in myanmar still face the ongoing threat of genocide, emergency measures will be issued to try to protect them. The former speaker of the house of commonsjohn former speaker of the house of Commons John Bercow is former speaker of the house of Commonsjohn Bercow is facing a fresh allegation of bullying and he denies the claim from lord lysvane, who had been one of his most senior assistance. Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom says the new complaint should have an impact on whether he has made a peer. The key point about the complaints procedure is that nobody can get away with bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, talking down to people and so on and where those allegations are made they need to be properly investigated and those individuals who are then found to be guilty of the things they are accused of should not be offered a peerage in the house of lords. Three us crewmembers have died in australia
after their firefighting aircraft crashed while tackling blazes near canberra. More than 80 blazes are raging across New South Wales after hot and windy conditions returned. The australian prime minister, scott morrison, said he was deeply saddened to learn of the deaths. The amount of paid bereavement leaves that children can take parents can take out of their child dies will be increased from april. Bereaved parents will take two weeks up bereaved parents will take two weeks up from the three day legal entitlement that exists now. The changes as jacks law in memory of a child who died shortly before his second birthday. Thats a summary of the main story so far today. Back to you, victoria. We are still here telling your stories and covering theissues telling your stories and covering the issues important to you in your life, and you know what, we dont give up. Thats why we have been back to a Housing Estate in london. Last october, we exposed the shocking living conditions
in a council owned block on a regeneration site in barnet on london. They were living with cockroaches, security doors that didnt work so drug users and anyone else could come in at any time. They were facing being stuck there until the block is knocked down in 2022. So, we wanted to report back and let you know what, if anything had changed. Our reporter sean clare who exposed the state of the building has been back, and heard about a new problem that residents fear could be putting their lives in danger. Residents living on the one remaining block of flats in the north london estate undergoing redevelopment say they are being left to rot with pest infestations and security issues. These are people who are in one old block where all around the redevelopment and regeneration is taking place. Drug addicts inject heroin on the stairs and they live with damp and cockroaches. Barnett holmes told the
programme it was extremely sorry for the standard of homes on marsh drive. When i was here last time you were facing being stockier until 2022 when the block is being knocked down and now youre being moved out later this year. What has changed . Since it went on the news last time we got a letter the week after saying eve ryo ne a letter the week after saying everyone has to move out within ten months now that weve been outed on bbc news and people realise how bad we have left you and it has shamed us, now we have left you and it has shamed us, now we we have left you and it has shamed us, now we will accept you as human beings and find somewhere to live. It depends what category you fit in, whether they will hows you, not how you back onto an estate that is just
as bad as the one we live on at the moment. Ive waited 15 years to be told im going to be moved, but now im getting the letter to say you are moving in ten months, the anxiety, ive never suffered with it before but now i understand how anxiety works because im petrified of not knowing where i will go. Can my kids still go to college . And i still go to work . I dont know. Cani still go to work . I dont know. Can i still go to work . Aside from the vermin and the mould and all those things, we now have to think about living in what is possibly a death trap. If there was a gash explosion it says the building could collapse gas explosion. Barnet council have
been instructing gas inspectors to come in and have a look at our gas. We had a visit and when they were looking at it they realise there was a gas leak. Weve been reporting it for the last six years and apparently people have come round and checked it and said it has been fine, but she keeps smelling the smell of gas. The council is here and ive been told that ive been in danger and the whole building could have collapsed. Why would it have collapsed . Because the gas was showing it was really leaking a lot. I was smoking close to it, and it could have caught fire quickly and easily. Which is really scary, actually. Who is to blame for putting tenants in danger . Some people say they shouldnt have been smoking in the kitchen if there is a gas leak. |j dont know. The Safety Measures should have been done a long time
ago. We shouldnt even be living like this. And every time ive said to theml like this. And every time ive said to them i am scared, im having nightmares, i worry, to them i am scared, im having nightmares, iworry, its not to them i am scared, im having nightmares, i worry, its not my flat, i can try and protect it as much as i can, but other people, they might not even be there and we are having a gas explosion and the same thing can happen to all of us. We are not supposed to have gas. If youve got somebody saying we had a gas leak for six years, i cant even explain how scary that is, i cant even explain. You have to be thankful that your kids and everybody woke up the next day. Has anything improved . Has anything improved . The communication, i would say. Ive been inundated with letters from barnett holmes. We still live here and we still have to live with the gas and the cockroaches, and the knives, being broken into. How long have these been here . |j knives, being broken into. How long have these been here . I would say about a few weeks. There is an obstruction. If you bothered to come round and actually speak to residents, you would understand. You cannot turn round and say to me. I have
certainly been round marsh drive estate more than you have, having been here 18 years. The building is technically structurally not safe. That is why everybody has to move out of marsh drive. It is not right living like this. If you cant do it
for yourself, do it for your children, do it for whatever. That is the truth. Lets talk now to the conservative leader of Barnet Council, Daniel Thomas, and ahmed padori, a marsh drive resident housed there temporarily with his daughter. That was eight years ago. Hes part of the new and growing Residents Association for non secure tenants. Welcome both of you and thanks for coming on the programme. Could you live in those conditions . No, i couldnt. Why should other people have do . Thats why weve accelerated the rehousing programme and reassessed residents for their housing need and nine residents have recently been offered accommodation,
eight of which is in the borough and thats the acknowledgement that residents cannot continue to live like this. Were not proud of this block of flats and thats why we wa nt to block of flats and thats why we want to give people homes they can be proud of and to bring them up to standard it would have cost the council ten years ago, at least £11 million, money wouldnt have which is why we embarked on the Regeneration Programme and why these buildings are being demolished. Regeneration programme and why these buildings are being demolishedm is it acceptable that some people have been living in those conditions for a decade . Theyve not been living in those conditions for a decade. These are recent conditions and they are a symptom of the inherent faults within Precast Concrete buildings, built in the 19605 concrete buildings, built in the 1960s and 70s. Cockroaches are not a symptom. These damp is not a symptom of that. It is widely known that there are damp and insulation and ventilation problems and concrete buildings and these buildings have rubbish chutes where people drop it
down the chute and that is not hygienic and new flats dont have that any more. We would rather not place residents into these flats. Why are you doing it . There is a housing crisis across london and the country and there is a shortage of homes. The 100 odd families in these flats at the moment, there is nowhere else to put them right now. You have said it was this morning that you could not live there. But you are expecting other people in your borough to live there. We dont expect them to live there forever, it is temporary. But you are expecting them to live there for a period of time. So for how long have you been there . Eight years. As a temporary resident, yes, and we are doing all we can to improve the conditions at the block and since september when it was brought to my attention with Barnet Council, we have worked on at least 25 measures and we have a Housing Committee on monday and this will be shared with councillors on monday night and i
was at the estate last week i met with ahmed and other residents and there were several issues we raised we are working on the most important thing is that we accelerate the programme of rehousing and nine residents have been offered a rehousing and eight have been offered secure tenancies. Have you brought that forward by two years because you have been shamed into doing that by the exposure on this programme . No. What was the reason then . It was apparent before this programme was aired back in november or october. This was brought to our attention and we were having discussions about bringing forward the rehousing of the tenants because quite clearly the buildings are deteriorating at a rapid pace. Do you mind me asking why you didnt come on the programme in october . You probably know that most councillors, myself included, we have full time jobs and sometimes we cant drop everything or leave work to come onto tv shows. Im delighted youve given me another opportunity. Im glad you could get the time off
today. You will know we had Brian Coleman on, former mayor of the borough and he said you were coming on the programme because you thought it was a stitch up. What did he mean . I dont know and ive not spoken to him for many months and i didnt speak to him about this programme, soi didnt speak to him about this programme, so i cant comment on what he said. One more thought, you mention the Housing Committee meeting on monday which will decide what happens to people like yourself and others, so is there any chance that you will offer this man and his 12 year old daughter for example secure tenancies, even if simply to acknowledge the horrendous conditions they have had to live in and are continuing to live in . Secure tenancies are lifelong tenancies and barnett stopped issuing those in 2012 in line with many other london boroughs and boroughs across country. We dont offer lifetime tenancies any more because we acknowledge we have the russian social housing. Theres only so much of it we have to ration it. Theres only so much of it and
we have to distribute it in terms of need. We offer flexible tenancies where you have a tenancy for a year and it all goes well and then you get another tenancy for two years or five years depending on circumstances and we review the tenancies because people circumstances change and into 205 yea rs circumstances change and into 205 years time people may have income and can afford accommodation in the private rented sector or some of their children might have gone to work or to university and they dont need as big a home as they are in now. Its very unlikely. Recently, nine households have been reassessed for housing and eight of them have been awarded secure tenancies because their circumstances deserved that and it is issued on need. There was a non secu re that and it is issued on need. There was a non secure tenancy that moved out of the borough at their choice. What was it like when you first moved in eight years ago with youre
now 12 year old daughter . Moved in eight years ago with youre now 12 year old daughter7m moved in eight years ago with youre now 12yearold daughter . It wasnt good and it has not been good. When i moved in the residents were not together and they were not talking together and they were not talking to each other so we didnt realise the problem that each person had is the problem that each person had is the same that the other was having. In our flat the same that the other was having. In ourflatl the same that the other was having. In our flat i was having cockroaches and mice, so my daughterare in our flat i was having cockroaches and mice, so my daughter are used to say it was nothing because she is scared and she does not want to go out, that is the thing. She is four yea rs old out, that is the thing. She is four years old at the time. She was four yea rs old years old at the time. She was four years old at the time. She was four years old at the time and and it wasnt good and its never been good and when we started campaigning, with the help of your show, that is when Barnet Council woke up because you could call and complain about something and they would not come. If there was a problem with a toilet, it was my fault and i had to do more painting, and my towels, it
was coming out and when i called the councils they said we cannot do it and if we touch it, anything that happens is your fault. Youve been living with cockroaches and damp for eight years. Yes. Well, we do have a Maintenance Department and i dont know what has happened. Are you sure . Cockroaches and damp for eight yea rs. Sure . Cockroaches and damp for eight years. How long have you been leader for question not since june years. How long have you been leader for question not sincejune of one of my priority is Customer Service and responding to issues like this in barnet and from other residents reporting potholes. Again, i brought a paper to reporting potholes. Again, i brought a papertoa reporting potholes. Again, i brought a paper to a recent town hall meeting to talk about improving Customer Service. That is a priority of mine. Have proper locks been fitted on the doors . No. Have there been burglaries . Yes, even last week there was, a lady was burgled. You
could problem go down and put a lock on it, i could probably do that, it doesnt take much. You dont need a Maintenance Department to do that. No, but its the outer doors, the doors, we have assessed that because the buildings will be coming down soonifs the buildings will be coming down soon its too expensive to put a new Security System is. People are being burgled. Obviously the flats have locks and we have employed wardens to patrol the estate from the evening until the early hours of the morning. And its not working. There was a burglary unfortunately, but thatis was a burglary unfortunately, but that is one incident and there are burglaries happening in winter across barking barnet. It might help if there were locks on the main doors. It would. But you could do that then. Ive seen the doors and the Security System and it is too expensive to fix bearing in mind we are knocking down the flats in the next couple of years but we have employed security wardens to man patrol the estate. Employed security wardens to man patrolthe estate. How employed security wardens to man patrol the estate. How do you respond to that . They keep saying they have employed wardens but even yesterday the junkies have come in, i cannot show you on my phone, but everyday are in. The wardens say they cannot move them. So the wardens cannot move the drug users from the communal areas . There are only two people patrolling on the estate, so its not enough. I would have thought it would have been easier to initiate this with the council, and they would not do it. They are saying its going to cost us more they are saying its going to cost us more but theyre not thinking about peoples lives. When somebody dies, that life is much more expensive than the money he is talking about. Are you saying that someone is risking death because of these issues . Of course, because the council are thinking about money, not the lives of the people. I respect him very much, but since
when has he turned up in the estate . When . I came to see it last week. Since you became a councillor have you been able to see the estate. No. I have visited the estate over many yea rs. I have visited the estate over many years. When was the last time . Ive been to both parts of the estate and icame been to both parts of the estate and i came down last week. You came down la st i came down last week. You came down last week because you realised the information was getting out, that is why you came and we had invited you so why you came and we had invited you so many times and you never turned up. You came in last week unexpectedly and you have been sending letters and there is no response and you disrespect us. Its not fair to say nobody from the council has come down as we had the chief executive come down and the chief executive come down and the chief executive come down and the chief executive of the homes in barnet and the wardens and we realised we could use them more efficiently and with residence help we identified that we could change the hours of the wardens and how
they patrol and which laws they patrol. We are improving the situation, drastically. Let me reach the messages from people who have watched the follow up film from around the country. Charlotte says, dear god, the state of the block. Barnet council should be ashamed to ta ke Barnet Council should be ashamed to take money from the residents. Another says those flats are not fit for purpose and shocking they expect folk to live in those conditions. Lauren says, fantasticjournalism exposing the poor housing situation in marsh drive. Is it too much to ask to live in a safe home . No its not too much to ask and everybody should expect that and that is why barnet is having a state Regeneration Programme across the borough, regenerating estates that we re borough, regenerating estates that were poorly designed and even if the doors did work blocks of flats across the borough where security doors are working, people tailgate residents into the block and getting somehow and there is a poor design
with lots of nooks and crannies. Somehow and there is a poor design with lots of nooks and cranniesm is no consolation that there are burglaries in other places. Its not that im trying to explain that these things happen elsewhere even when there are security measures and what we need to do is design an estate, new estate where its harder for these things to happen. Can i ask you another question mark your local ward councillor told residents who had a job that taxpayers were paying for them to live for free and they should move somewhere else cheaper. What you think of that . dont agree with that. Thats not my view, the view of the council or the of the conservative party and when you look at our track record on Affordable Housing in barnet, the fa ct we Affordable Housing in barnet, the fact we built 3000 Affordable Homes since 2012 shows we do realise the need for Affordable Housing and people on low incomes need to live within the borough. Ive already spoken to the counsellor and that is
not our view and she apologised. He too . To me i made a public apology. She has apologised to the residence for her views and i can assure you thats not the view of myself. But you said you trusted her and the job she is doing, so what about a job that was happening, that gave the opportunity to insult us. You can only be a counsellor of west london because of us, so if youre not there, you cannot be a counsellor of there, you cannot be a counsellor of the committee so you should respect as well. When we come to you with our problems, you should attend to it. Do you accept that some improvements, some progress is being made in terms of trying to improve the living conditions. It might not be as quick as people want, and theyve also brought forward by two yea rs theyve also brought forward by two years the date when people will be offered places. We do appreciate they are doing a little bit and if it hadnt come, they wouldnt have
done it for 25 years and theyve never attended to the building. Someone on twitter says i know someone who lived there and the situation keeps getting worse. Mice are everywhere whenever i visited and ive been waiting forjustice for over ten years and the worst place in the uk so far i have seen. Another on twitter says eight years is not temporary when it comes to living in squalid housing. Ian tweets, as usual bringing us hard hitting tweets, as usual bringing us ha rd hitting stories and tweets, as usual bringing us hard hitting stories and it is disgusting that people are being left to rot in a Council Tower block. You can take this opportunity to apologise to your residence if you wish. We apologise and we have done repeatedly. You dont deserve to live in these conditions and we do everything we can to improve them andi do everything we can to improve them and i hope through the housing allocation process you will move to allocation process you will move to a much nicer neighbourhood because it is what you deserve. But why would you not give us the secure tenancy . Because, in life, as in
your job, tenancy . Because, in life, as in yourjob, without tenancy . Because, in life, as in your job, without planning tenancy . Because, in life, as in yourjob, without planning you cannot succeed. So for us to plan our future and for our kids, we need a place that is secure. So if you are telling me youre giving me a place that is not a secure tenancy that means i could move out, so give me that security so i will know that this is our live and under are going to go to school. Who could come back to go to school. Who could come back to me and say, listen, you dont need three bedrooms, you need one bedroom and i will give you one bedroom, that make sense and it means you are treating me as you are. But you are anticipating that in two years or three years, if my income goes up, what if my income comes down . I am back to the same problem. This is why we have to respect each other as human beings. The new tenancy system gives you exactly that, at least three year security, possibly six depending on your circumstances, which is far more security than people having the private rented sector as they have a
six months leasehold and can be moved out after six months with one months notice but with Barnet Council you have between three and six years depending on your circumstances. Ok. But it doesnt mean we are going to get secure tenancy. The lifetime tenancies disappeared many years ago across many boroughs. In your statement you say you have said nine people have moved on date have secure tenancies. Exactly. You might well sit qualify. But we do not give them is guaranteed. It depends on your needs and what we are asking for at the moment is that everybody is given a secure tenancy no matter what, and i cannot commit to that, im sorry thats the same across london. So you mean in the course of time, eight people have been given it, and on what criteria were they given a question mark i dont know each circumstance and it would be wrong for me to talk about individual cases but of the nine assess, eight we re
cases but of the nine assess, eight were given secure tenancies and it shows that where we can, we offer them. In spite of that, can you guarantee that none of us, the barnet tenants, will be given a non secure tenancy . Barnet tenants, will be given a nonsecure tenancy . I cannot guarantee that. Its not fair for a counsellor to give guarantees on individual housing assessments. Im saying we are not assured. We will still be moved out but may be to another non secure tenancy agreement. Is that what you are saying . Potentially, yes. You might qualify for a three year, six year tenancy, depending on your needs. Thank you for coming on the programme, the leader of Barnet Council, councillor, and ahmed, thank you. The chinese city of wuhan has gone into lockdown in an effort to control the spread of a deadly virus which has left 17 dead. No planes or trains are leaving the city and buses, ferries and the underground have all been shut down. People living there have been told not to leave and some are worried about food shortages, with one saying it feels like the end of the world. There are more than 500 confirmed cases of the virus which has spread overseas. Our china correspodent, steve mcdonnell, is in beijing across china those travelling for the Lunar New Year celebrations are a lot more worried now than two days ago. 48 hours ago, we could not find someone who seemed so concerned in the general public about this virus. They thought the authorities had it under control. Now wherever you look, people are wearing masks, lining up to buy more, some people are cancelling trips, there is a lot of concern. What is really making people Pay Attention to this health
problem has been the shutdown of wuhan. This started when the government introduced a special regulation meaning that all Public Places in wuhan, restaurants, shopping centres, you need to have a face mask on or you cannot enter the building. Then the government announced transport would be shut down, so all planes leaving wuhan, all trains, even within the city, the underground train system, public buses, they have been shut down. Now moving around the city, you really only have cars and taxis as your option. Many people are choosing to stay indoors because they fear catching the disease. They have fridges stocked up for the new year, you can imagine families might be content you can imagine families might be co nte nt to you can imagine families might be content to watch television and not leave the home. The World Health Organization has welcomed the move by the chinese authorities because
attempting to isolate those who are set is only the option. Even though this is a city of 11 million people. Those who are sick is the only real option. The worrier could spread to other cities, that we could see similar situations, and entire floors in hospitals are being cleared to make way for patients, we are being told. And the concern is this code at some point become like sars. The concern is this could at some point. There are so many people travelling around now than there were in sars meaning it could bea there were in sars meaning it could be a much more serious situation thanit be a much more serious situation than it was then. The authorities are not taking any chances and that is why they have taken these drastic measures in the city of wuhan. Let us talk to a clinical lecturer and the doctor and also someone in wuhan where he is studying for his doctorate in political theory at
central china university. Thank you for talking to us. Tell us what it is like being in wuhan at the moment. It is like. Very few people out there and it is all establishments are closed right now, so if you walk on the streets, might be possible you are alone, just a few people on the streets. Have you been out . Yeah, i went out to buy my lunch, but most of the establishments were i usually eat are close now. Sorry to interrupt, when you go out, are you wearing a mask . Yeah, i wear a mask. I am inside the dorm room right now, sol am not wearing one, but when i go out in the corridor, i have to wear a mask. How worried are people now the city is in lockdown . Well, of
course, i saw earlier when i was looking for a place to eat, people are buying food from the supermarket and they are buying a lot of food and they are buying a lot of food andl and they are buying a lot of food and i guess the idea is that if the lockdown continues for a long time, they really need to have some food. Also, i guess, they really need to have some food. Also, iguess, in they really need to have some food. Also, i guess, in social media in china, the sentiment is that we will be able to overcome this particular problem. Ok. Thank you. Stay there. I will bring in a doctor sitting alongside me in the studio in london. Tell us about this virus. This virus was first identified towards the end of last year, 31st december, i think we had the first case notified, but it was not sequenced to tell a couple of weeks ago when they released the full
genetic sequence of the virus and determined it was a new type of coronavirus we have not seen in humans before. These masks which he was saying he was wearing going out to get his lunch, not stopping him going out to get his lunch, do they work . This type of mask, probably not. This was bought from a british chemist this morning, fair enough. Why wouldnt this work . It will give you some protection but only for a matter of minutes. When we breathe in and out, we make the mask moist, so as we make it moist, if someone coughs or sneezes, the virus is on the mask. If you are unwell, it stops it spraying out as much, but in terms of protecting yourself if you are not unwell, this is limited toa you are not unwell, this is limited to a few minutes to give you protection. Are you able to get your mask while i am chatting to natalie and you can show it to us . Yeah. How
fast is the virus spreading. and you can show it to us . Yeah. How fast is the virus spreading. I think thatis fast is the virus spreading. I think that is what we are still determining. It has clearly spread quite quickly to different parts of china. 25 provinces affected now, i read this morning. It has spread to several other countries. But what we have not seen any other country that has gone to our transmission in those countries at the moment. We have had cases from china arriving u nwell have had cases from china arriving unwell but there are currently no reported cases of ongoing transmission in those countries. How significant is that the World Health Organization decided not to declare this a Global International Health Emergency . This a Global International health . I this a Global International Health Emergency . I think that they want to discuss it further and they are meeting again today and i think they wa nt meeting again today and i think they want more information. For instance, is it spreading within the country that has travelled to . That is one of the primary indicators they make a decision on in terms of declaring a decision on in terms of declaring a public Health Emergency, has it spread to other countries and is it spreading those countries . Could we
see your mask . What you are putting on before you go out . This is the one the university is providing. For international students. That is the difference. You have the plastic, laminated, whatever it is. difference. You have the plastic, laminated, whatever it is. I think thatis laminated, whatever it is. I think that is just the packaging. Laminated, whatever it is. I think that isjust the packaging. Is it soft, when you take the plastic off . Yes. Not so much about it being soft, but about what it is made up. In clinical environment, we use ffp3 mask and it has to be fitted around your face properly. Thank you for talking to us, we appreciate it, ta ke talking to us, we appreciate it, take care. Thank you for coming on the programme. An nhs investigation
finds failings in an nhs trust that could have led to seven preventable baby deaths. We will talk to dawn who lost one of her twins, archie, when he was four days old after a series of hospital errors. Its 75 years since the liberation of auschwitz. As commemorations get under way in israel, we speak to survivors of the holocaust, one of whom lost more than 30 members of her family in the nazi death camps. This time last year, dawn and kevin powell from margate were looking forward to the birth of their twins who were due in early february. The delivery in the end was straightforward. Archie was born crying, like any normal baby, and evelyn came 16 mins after him. But that night, archie became seriously ill. He was diagnosed with sepsis at two days old. When he was four days old, his family say he was virtually
brain dead and they made the incredibly painful decision to switch his ventilator off. And a bbc investigation has uncovered significant concerns about Maternity Services at that same nhs trust. At least seven preventable baby deaths may have occurred at east kent Nhs Foundation trust since 2016. In a statement, the trust apologised and said they recognised that they have not always provided the right standard of care for every woman and baby in our hospitals. In a moment, well talk to dawn whos here with her little girl, evelyn. But first, our social affairs editor, michael buchannan, is here. What has prompted this investigation . What have you found . We started looking at this trust a number of months ago because they we re number of months ago because they were ongoing quest at the moment of the death of harry in 2017, the inquest concludes tomorrow. At the outset, the trust acknowledged they had provided poor care to harry. Because we started looking at that, we wondered if there were other preve nta ble we wondered if there were other preventable deaths in this trust as well and the outcome of that is we have discovered preventable deaths both before and after harrys case. In 2016, two babies died because of problems in monitoring the heart rates, and that was an issue in a death in 2017, and significant concerns about the care provided to three families in 2019 including dawns case as well. In essence, you are seeing problems with cd6, heart rate monitoring, and cultural issues. In 2015, particularly at unit in margate, review said co nsulta nts unit in margate, review said consultants were out of control, they would not come in when they we re they would not come in when they were uncle, they would not review womens notes, they would not do ward rounds when they were uncle. Starr said there was no point raising it because nothing would be done. When they were on call. What are the trust saying . They are wholeheartedly apologising, they are accepting they have not always provided the best care, but they are trying to improve Maternity Services. On the heart rate issue, they say they have brought in a pony system and hiring new staff to try to change the culture in a whole new system. Now we are going to talk to dawn powell, herfour day old son archie died last february after contracting sepsis at the Queen Elizabeth queen mother hospital. Since then, the trust have said they accept some mistakes were made with his care. Hello. Thank you for coming on the programme. This is evelyn. Everything was ok when you went into labour with evelyn and
archie, when did you notice something was wrong . About an hour, two hours after archie was born. The initial worry was evelyn because she was born with the cord around her neck, they focused on her. We were holding archie. Then he started making a grunting noise. And hejust continued with that because he was born in the early hours and i remember saying, he doesnt sound right. Something is not. Something is wrong, sort of thing. During that period, i dont know the exact time, and one of the staff in the room with us said he was singing to us
which we now know he was in respiratory distress. My goodness. That sort of shows the level of attention. They are not picking up on symptoms. That is one example of staff not picking up on symptoms and delays. But eventually, he was diagnosed with sepsis. But it was two days in. It took a long time. To get the diagnosis. He was actually transferred to st thomas and then he was on the intensive care it was on the tuesday after they were born, they told me margate had told them it was Group B Strep and he had sepsis. But it was not until then
that we learnt it was sepsis. As i said in the introduction, you made the incredibly painful decision ultimately to turn off archies life support machine when he was four days old. How do you describe what it was like to make that decision . Its the worst possible decision ever to make. Looking at this. Your son. Such a severely ill baby. We were told that there is a possibility to keep him on life support, but he just wouldnt have a life, he would be so severely disabled, he wouldnt be able to talk, feed, hear, any of those
things, so we knew we had to make the right decision to let him go because we did not want him suffering. Archie was one of your four children. We have got three older daughters at home. You have got evelyn, an eight year old, ten year old, 11 year old. What has it been like for you all in the last year without archie . Like a huge void in your life. Itjust changes everything. Even though the older girls, they seem ok, sometimes things just bubbled to the surface, they break down, or even for ourselves, it has really changed our lives. I have not been able to. Return to work yet because i have been suffering with mental health, anxiety and depression and stuff
since going through it. Each day, you dont know what their day is going to bring. I dont know how you cope with the grief while also looking after the surviving twin and three other children. We dont know. You have got to keep going. Because daily life doesnt stop for you. To have your grief and things, you have just got to keep going. Just moments during the day that you break down for a moment and then carry on. But the consequences we are living for peoples lack of attention and awareness, it is a lifetime for us. When you realise that archies death
was preventable, as were potentially six others, how do you absorb that information . How do you try and rationalise that . I dont think there is a way of trying to rationalise it. It left us feeling very numb when we read that the report and when it says at the end of the report that he could have been saved, and it was due to staff failure, for not picking up his symptoms and acting fast enough, and, yeah, there is no way of rationalising. In a statement, michael mentioned, they have carried out internal investigations, they recognise they have not always provided the right standard of care,
they have listed things they have put in place to change things, more co nsulta nts, put in place to change things, more consultants, more maternity and neonatal equipment, conference and training programmes. We recognise the scale of change needed in the Maternity Service has not taken place quickly enough and we need to fully embed further learning and changes to our culture. Has the hospital spoken to you directly about what happened . Hospital spoken to you directly about what happened . No. Throughout last year, we have had very little contact. Last year, we have had very little co nta ct. We last year, we have had very little contact. We have had to initiate meetings. A few weeks ago, i had to call the hospital to find out who to contact call the hospital to find out who to co nta ct to call the hospital to find out who to contact to find out if the investigation had finished. We have done all the chasing. How do you feel about that . I think it is appalling we have had to. We are the ones in this situation caused by
peoples failure and we are the ones having to do the chasing. You have got a meeting with the next week, the one you have initiated. What are you intending to say to them . With the person we are meeting with, i dont think there is much he can do, we arejust going dont think there is much he can do, we are just going to answer some of the questions we have got from reading the report because there are discrepancies in time, there is lack of documentation and things, and you wa nt of documentation and things, and you want a formal apology, but itjust doesnt change anything, doesnt make you feel any better. Because they have changed our lives forever. Iamso they have changed our lives forever. I am so grateful you have spoken to us, thank you very much. I really appreciate you coming on the
programme. Dawn powell and evelyn. She knew what she was doing, every time she throws it, little bit of extra attention thank you for coming on, appreciate you making the journey. If you have been under the ca re of east journey. If you have been under the care of east Kent Hospital Maternity Services in the past and you have any concerns, there is a helpline number on the screen right now. World leaders are gathering in israel for the 75th anniversary of the liberation of auschwitz. The concentration camp where the nazis killed over 1 concentration camp where the nazis killed over1 million concentration camp where the nazis killed over 1 million jewish concentration camp where the nazis killed over1 millionjewish people. Prince charles is attending todays commemoration called remembering the holocaust fighting antisemitism. And survivors from across the world are also travelling there to mark the event, and International Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27th january. Talking to us now is holocaust survivor hannah lewis. She was born in poland
in the 1930s and ended up in a camp with her mother, who died there. She now gives talks about her experience. Were also speaking to Sonja Sternberg who escaped from nazi germany on a ship. And we will also speak to her sister. Theirfather died in a camp, as did 30 otherfamily members. And karen pollock is the chief executive of the Holocaust Educational trust. Thank you for coming in the programme. In 1943, you and other jewish programme were rounded up and taken away . We were in a small town and the nearest camp to us, there we re and the nearest camp to us, there were two, one was an extermination camp, and one was a place which was forced labour camp. I can remember the day very well. We had an hour, i think, my father told me to up and
assemble and we walked there, quite assemble and we walked there, quite a long walk, and we ended up in this small village surrounded by fields and by words and my father and my grandfather luckily new someone there fields and woods. Before we we re there fields and woods. Before we were rounded up. We knew there was nowhere to go. My father and my grandfather went to see him and gave them the valuables they could carry and said, if we were sent to the camp, not to worry about the rest of the family, but my grandfather was very keen to try and save the lives of his two grandchildren, myself and my cousin. We walked to the camp and we we re my cousin. We walked to the camp and we were surrounded by fields and woods that camp. There was a
watchtower, all of the usual. woods that camp. There was a watchtower, all of the usual. I will come back to you, im just going to bring in sonja. I wonder who you are both thinking about today. Are you talking about us . I am. Yes, it is a very ha rd talking about us . I am. Yes, it is a very hard time. We lost my father and 30 odd relatives. Maybe my sister wants to say something. Do you . Yes, please. Did you hear the question . Never forget the day when the police knocked on the door and told my father to get dressed and
ta ke told my father to get dressed and take his passport and my sister crying and my mother was told, she did not stop screaming, we would be taken did not stop screaming, we would be ta ken away did not stop screaming, we would be taken away as well. I was 15 and i dont know what made me do it, i we nt dont know what made me do it, i went into the kitchen and made sandwiches for my father, so that is still something i cant believe i did. It was the ss men standing there. I am just did. It was the ss men standing there. I amjust going did. It was the ss men standing there. I am just going to come back to hannah for a moment. Im trying to hannah for a moment. Im trying to share the surround in the time we have left. Did you know why you were you were being much to the camp . Share this around. No, as long as i was with my family, surroundings did not matter, i was with them, i felt safe. But your mother was taken behind a village well and she was shot. But your mother was taken behind a village well and she was shotm wasnt quite like that. Gradually,
everybody, there was a shifting population and what they used a lot in that part of the world was special killer squads. I was ill, my mother was looking after me. And the squad came in and she was very brave, she gave me a big kiss, a big hug, got up, opened the door, this was in the old mans house she was working in, and went. And when she did not come back, i opened the door because i wanted to see where she was. And it was very cold. I remember grey ice on my feet. I turned to see where she was and there were. They were selecting people pushing people towards the well. There was no water and
electricity in andrzej duda, mother drew water from the well five, six times a day in adampol. She was not looking at me, i could not catch her eye. I thought maybe i would go and take her hand as i had done so many times, somebody barked an order, they started to shoot, and i saw her blood on the stone. And i knew that i mustnt make a sound. am going to bring in karen at this point, i can see you are very emotional. These lift experiences, it is absolutely vital they are passed on down through the generations lived experiences. We have gisela and sonja in the 90s, we have gisela and sonja in the 90s, we have hannah, i dont know how old you are, but you look amazing. Your story when you talk about your mother, very moving, very difficult
to hear. All of our survivors still with us and a able to shape testimonies are so vital, they are brilliant people determined to carry on sharing testimonies while they still can. The fact is, 75 years after the holocaust, some people might not think it is relevant to them, but hannah and i am sure sonja and gisela are reaching the next generation so people really do remember. I only wish we had a longer programme to talk more. Sonja and yad vashem, we would love you to sonja and gisela, we would love you to come on the programme again. Bbc newsroom life is next. Have a good day. A fairly cloudy day today but for most places, dry, because we have a big area of High Pressure holding onto the weather at the moment, gradually slipping to the
south east in the next couple of days. A weather front approaching from the north west, bringing patchy light rain to the far north and west of scotla nd light rain to the far north and west of scotland at times today and elsewhere that cloud thick enough for a few spots of drizzle particularly in the south. Some sunshine, especially for parts of wales, north east england and eastern scotland. Temperatures today for most 8 and 10 degrees. This evening and tonight, the weak weather front in the north will slip. Patchy way scotland, northern ireland. With the blanket of cloud, not a cold night. Frost free. Tomorrow looks like another very similar day. A lot of cloud around. For most, set to be a dry day with temperatures around nine, ten. Dry again on saturday. You are watching bbc newsroom live. It is other am and these are the main story this morning. A second chinese city wine gang shots at entire transport system as authorities try to contain a new respiratory virus posted the bbc news investigation reveals seven babies may have died unnecessarily at nhs Hospital Trust in kent. Just figures show knife offences in england and wales have reached a new high while those being charged or cautioned by police has fallen to a record low. The Uns Highest Court has ruled myanmar must take all measures to prevent atrocities against the rohingya. A british man is one of four people missing after a storm surge its eastern spain. And
coming
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