Children's heart surgery unit criticised over lack of nurses The CQC also said: "At times, some shifts went unfilled. All clinical staff who spoke to the inspectors said that they were concerned at the low staffing. Inspectors found there were "inherent risks" to patients" health and wellbeing "which the trust had been aware of for some time, but had not effectively addressed." Ian Biggs, the CQC's deputy director in the south, said: "Everyone seems to agree that there should have been more staff on duty looking after some very frail children." Seven families have so far claimed their children either died or were severely harmed due to poor care following surgery at the hospital. Six are now seeking legal action against the University of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, according to Laurence Vick of Michelmores Solicitors in Exeter. They include the parents of seven-year-old Luke Jenkins, from Cardiff, who died in April less than a week after surgery for a congenital heart defect. He went into cardiac arrest on Good Friday but because it was a bank holiday, no surgeon was on site. The surgeon started to operate 19 minutes after receiving the emergency call. However, Luke's heart stopped for 43 minutes before he was resuscitated. He died the following day. His parents, Stephen and Faye Jenkins, claim staff lost vital time because they did not know where rescusitation equipment was. In a 40-page report into his death, the trust cited low staffing levels as a "contributory factor," and also stated there was a "failure to recognise and monitor a deteriorating patient." Since receiving the formal warning the hospital has reduced its cardiac surgery programme, cutting the number of beds on the ward from 16 to 12 and introduced two cardiac high dependency beds in the intensive care unit. Robert Woolley, the trust's chief executive, said he believed these actions "have addressed the issues leading to the warning notice." He added: "I am deeply concerned that some families believe that we have let them down and will continue to ensure that we address their concerns and bring forward our plans to develop a high dependency unit." The neighbouring Bristol Royal Infirmary was the subject of a major inquiry after the heart operation scandal of the late 80s and early 90s, in which 35 babies died due to poor surgery and care.