A consultant paediatrician at a hospital in the Black Country has said that, for two years running, children at the hospital have suffered from falling temperatures on the wards in winter.

Dr David Drew told the BBC that temperatures at Walsall Manor Hospital dropped below 36C (96.8F) when the heating failed on 18 December. Out of the two children who developed hypothermia as a result, one already had clinical issues surrounding his ability to regulate body temperature.

However, in November and December 2008, the same hospital had 12 cases in which the body temperatures of youngsters on the ward ‘fell notably’, although no complaints have been received from parents. The trust’s medical director Mike Browne had arranged for extra heaters to be brought into the Salisbury Ward, as well as thermometers to monitor the situation. However, in January 2009, the problem reoccurred.

Dr Drew said that the effects of the heaters resulted in dry, dehumidified air that in turn caused babies with respiratory illnesses to develop sticky secretions.

He added that cuts in nursing staff had also contributed to a reduction in care on the ward.

Although the trust denied that childcare had been compromised by the incidents, Dr Drew reported them to director of children's services at Walsall Council, alleging there were child protection issues at the hospital.

Dr Drew – who has worked at the hospital for 20 years – told BBC reporters:

‘A well baby will become ill at 34C (93.2F) and an ill baby will become worse.’

He added that the Salisbury Ward – where the incidents had occurred – was ‘not fit for purpose’.

The trust admitted that the wing where the ward was situated was in a ‘particularly old’ building, and that it required frequent maintenance and was due to be ‘replaced’.

Dr Drew warned the trust in September 2009 that if improvements were not made, he would ‘blow the whistle’ about the problems on the paediatric ward. Dr Drew says that since the heating failure on 18 December, he has still not been interviewed by the hospital’s medical director Mike Browne about the problems.

Walsall Manor Hospital has issued a statement, which claims the concerns raised in September 2009 were ‘thoroughly investigated’ and resolved ‘to the satisfaction of the hospital trust’s board’:

‘We take the safety of patients very seriously. We have undertaken the appropriate risk assessments and introduced effective measures to ensure that patient safety is not compromised.

‘Mr Browne has never attempted to trivialise the situation and has himself been very closely involved with the ward staff and patients throughout,’ the statement said.

Dr Drew said:

‘I can't stand by, when patients and parents are being subjected to this kind of risk and this kind of discomfort by a trust that has got other considerations than patient safety.’

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