A damning report into the region’s leading children’s hospital – which treats some of Shropshire’s most seriously ill youngsters – revealed a catalogue of serious failings today.

Patients at Birmingham Children’s Hospital experienced delays in treatment, substandard care and youngsters being redirected to other services, according to the Healthcare Commission report.

The investigation also found some complex neurosurgery had been carried out without the relevant trained nurses.

The hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust was also criticised for its shortage of beds, equipment and access to operating theatres, and an “ineffective” partnership with the University Hospital Birmingham.

The commission’s report was ordered by Health Secretary Alan Johnson.

The report said “serious concerns” had been raised about clinical care for several months but they were not “properly” or “rapidly” addressed.

These included a shortage of bed space and lack of access to operating theatres brought about by a dramatic increase in demand.

The report said BCH had at times “not responded with sufficient urgency” to the concerns first raised in June 2008, but added “it had now begun to do so”.

The BCH said it welcomed the report. Sarah-Jane Marsh, interim chief executive, said: “The quality of care for our young patients is our top priority.

“In some ways, we have been victims of our own success – as our services have grown ever more popular we have been faced with the challenge of meeting that demand and have been carrying out a great deal of work to make sure we do.

“We listened very carefully to those who gave us suggestions for improvements and now welcome the Healthcare Commission’s report, which reinforces our improvement agenda, whilst also confirming that there is no evidence of serious incidents causing harm to patients.”

Mr Johnson said: “I welcome this report.

“(It) states very clearly there is no evidence of any serious incidents that caused harm to children.

“Nevertheless, it still highlights concerns about some specialist services that should never have happened.”

By David Burrows