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Police launch investigation into ‘possible manslaughter’ of newborn baby at Manchester hospital

GMP said Saint Mary's Hospital has been "fully cooperative" throughout the investigation so far.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 6th June 2023

A police investigation has been launched into the “possible manslaughter” of a newborn baby girl who died just hours after being born at a Manchester hospital.

Polly Lindop died within 24 hours after being born at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Manchester city centre on 13 March 2023, and after concerns were raised to both the coroner and Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the force’s Major Incident Team are now investigating the tragic situation as a “possible gross negligence manslaughter”.

GMP says the matter is being investigated after “careful consideration”.

Police said the hospital has been “fully cooperative” throughout the investigation so far, and also confirmed that a number of hospital staff have been spoken to as witnesses by officers.

No arrests have been made at this stage.

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“First, I want to express my condolences to the parents of Polly at what is an extremely difficult time for them,” DCI Mark Davis, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, explained of the investigation, “And our thoughts will remain with them as we carry out our investigation.

Police launch investigation into ‘possible manslaughter’ of newborn baby at Manchester hospital / Credit: GMP

“A number of hospital staff have been spoken to as witnesses by officers and no arrests have been made at this time. The hospital trust has been fully cooperative with the police and all relevant authorities have been kept informed.

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“The investigation into Polly’s death is ongoing and her family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments.”

Polly’s parents told the MEN that they vowed to “never give up the fight” for answers over her death in a tribute to the newborn, adding: “We would like to thank everyone at GMP for their continual efforts every day in gaining us answers.

“Our beautiful brave baby girl Polly, we love you and miss you every day. Sleep tight my darling.”

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A spokesperson for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) said: “GMP is investigating an incident that happened in March 2023. Our thoughts continue to be with the family and we are cooperating fully with the police investigation.”

Featured Image – NHS

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Historic hidden library in Manchester city centre reveals £11m transformation plans

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Ambitious plans to transform one of Manchester’s greatest historical hidden gems have been announced.

Founded all the way back in 1806, The Portico Library – which is hidden in plain sight on Mosley Street, in the heart of the city centre – played a central role in Manchester’s rise as the world’s first modern city, and since then, it has been serving as a window into the past and a providing a place of inspiration for anyone who needs it.

But now, these new transformation plans, titled The Reunited Project, will ensure the building not only survives, but also thrives as the UK’s most sustainable historic library for generations to come.

The Portico Library‘s transformational scheme is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and will look to ‘reunite’ the historic building’s three floors for the first time in over a century, creating a fully-accessible and sustainable cultural library.

Crucially, plans will see a step-free entrance and lift installed to make the library accessible to all.

There’ll also be new exhibition and event spaces introduced as part of the scheme to explore the stories of Manchester’s communities and the city’s heritage.

There will a Northern Bookshop, showcasing regional and emerging writers, and independent publishers, as well as a creative Portico Kitchen, which will celebrate the city’s food culture, writing, and history.

A place for school groups, families, and all people to explore Portico’s collection and experiment creatively also forms part of the plans.

Portico Library has revealed £11m transformation plans / Credit: Portico Library

“Portico Reunited is about more than restoring a building,” explained Dr Thom Keep, who is a Librarian & the Chief Executive of the Portico Library, after the transformation plans were submitted to Manchester City Council.

“It’s about opening doors to stories, ideas, heritage and communities across Greater Manchester.

“These plans secure Portico’s future, unlocking the power of heritage to inspire Manchester’s visitors and residents to explore, share, and celebrate their stories and the city’s literary and global heritage.”

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If the plans are approved by the Council, The Portico Library will close for around 18 months for construction, during which it will continue to engage the public through its ‘Portigo !’ pop-up programme.

Featured Image – Portico Library

News

Government announces homebuying overhaul to fix country’s ‘broken’ housing system

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant New build houses

The Government has announced what it’s calling the biggest shakeup to the homebuying system in this country’s history. 

In a bid to ‘rewire a chaotic system which has become a barrier to homeownership for thousands nationwide, the Government has today (Monday 6 October) unveiled proposals that it says will speed up the long-drawn out and costly process of buying a home by four weeks.

The Housing Secretary says this will not only save people money, but unnecessary stress too.

The proposed new plans would see sellers and estate agents required to provide buyers with ‘vital’ information about a property upfront – including the condition of the home, leasehold costs, and chains of people waiting to move.

It’s hoped this will help end any last-minute chain collapses and ultimately give greater confidence to first-time buyers when they’re making one of life’s most important decisions. 

Houses
The Government has announced plans to fix the country’s ‘broken’ housing system / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)

Binding contracts could also be introduced to stop people walking away from agreements after buyers painstakingly spend months in negotiations to hopefully halve the number of failed transactions.

The new reforms are also proposing that prospective buyers are provided with side-by-side information on estate agents and conveyancers, including their track record and expertise, alongside new mandatory qualifications and Code of Practice to drive up standards and work to rebuild trust in the industry.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer took to Twitter this morning to address the proposed new homebuying overhaul, commenting: “I promised that my Government would fix the broken housing system.

“Buying or selling a home will be faster, unlocking the dream of homeownership and allowing hardworking people to focus on the next chapter of their lives. That’s national renewal.”

Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, said buying a home should be ‘a dream, not a nightmare’.

He continued: “Our reforms will fix the broken system so hardworking people can focus on the next chapter of their lives. 

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“Through our Plan for Change, we are putting more money back into working people’s pockets and making a simple dream a simple reality.”

Featured Image – James Feaver (via Unsplash)

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