The
Healthcare Commission has published a
national report , Towards better births: a review of maternity services in England. While many women are positive about maternity services in England the report has identified a number of recurring issues – such as inadequate staffing and poor teamwork – suggesting a systemic national problem. Maternity services accounted for one in ten requests to the Commission to investigate particular trusts.
The survey has drawn together information from all NHS maternity units in England and conducted surveys of some 5,000 maternity staff and more than 26,000 mothers. The survey of mothers was the largest ever carried out, making the experience of women central to the assessment.
The report identifies key overall improvements that are still needed, saying that in some trusts:
- levels of staffing were well below average, indicating that they may not have been adequate
- consultant obstetricians did not spend the time on labour wards recommended by their professional body
- doctors and midwives did not attend in-service training courses
- there was not adequate continuity of care
- recommendations for antenatal care were not adequately adhered to, particularly in the case of women whose pregnancies were likely to be more risky
- there was poor communication, care and support after women had their babies
- there were too few beds and bathrooms, particularly in labour wards
- information was not always being compiled to assess services.
The clinical negligence department at Leigh Day & Co welcomes the report and urges the NHS to follow the recommendations listed in it so that the tragedy of maternal and child deaths can be avoided in the future.
Information was correct at time of publishing. See terms and conditions for further details.