What is a Section 278 Agreement?

A Section 278 Agreement is a legal agreement between a developer and a highway authority to carry out highway works.

North Devon District Hospital - Birth Service Suspension

Royal Devon University Hospital Foundation Trust announces suspension of births at NDDH

The recent announcement by the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust that it is planning for the temporary suspension of births at North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) from 11 August 2026 will understandably cause concern for expectant parents across North Devon and the wider area. The Trust has stated that the decision follows a review of medical staffing levels and professional advice from clinical leaders, concluding that there will be insufficient consultant and medical cover to safely continue the service beyond that date.

While any reduction in local maternity services is deeply concerning, particularly in a rural area where travel times to alternative units may be significant, the announcement highlights an issue that is central to both clinical negligence law and patient safety: healthcare providers must ensure that services are staffed at a level that allows safe and appropriate care to be delivered.

Clinical negligence claims frequently arise where failures in staffing contribute to delays in treatment, failures to escalate concerns, inadequate monitoring or delayed intervention. Although staffing shortages are a widespread challenge across the NHS, resource pressures do not provide a legal defence where a patient suffers avoidable harm as a result of negligent care.

Courts recognise that healthcare providers must take reasonable steps to ensure that services are adequately staffed and that patients receive treatment meeting an acceptable standard of care. Where staffing problems create foreseeable risks, healthcare organisations must assess those risks and implement appropriate measures to protect patients. The Trust’s announcement demonstrates that patient safety concerns have been actively identified and that action is being taken before a potentially unsafe situation develops.

For patients and families, the priority must remain access to safe, high-quality maternity care. While the temporary loss of local birth services will undoubtedly be distressing for many across North Devon, the underlying principle is one that lies at the heart of both patient safety and clinical negligence law: when concerns arise that care can no longer be delivered safely, those concerns must be identified, acknowledged and addressed before avoidable harm occurs.

If you have concerns about the maternity care you or your baby received, our specialist Clinical Negligence team can advise on whether there are grounds for a claim and help you understand your legal options.