Nearly half of NHS maternity units in England are rated as inadequate or needing improvement, with two-thirds receiving poor safety ratings, according to a report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Inspections from August 2022 to December 2023 have led the CQC to caution that substandard care risks becoming “normalised” without immediate intervention.
Of 131 units reviewed, 48% required improvement or were rated inadequate, with only 4% considered outstanding. On safety, 47% required improvement, 18% were inadequate, and 35% were rated good, with no unit achieving an outstanding safety rating. The CQC flagged variations in areas like incident response and triage risk assessments, according to the Independent.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting called the findings “a cause for national shame,” stating, “Women deserve better – childbirth should not be something they fear or look back on with trauma.”
The report highlights persistent issues following recent high-profile investigations, including the Ockenden review and inquiries into care failures in East Kent and Nottingham, which saw hundreds of mothers and babies harmed. James Titcombe, whose son died due to care failures, said, “The fact that almost half were rated as ‘requires improvement’ and 18% as ‘inadequate’ for safety is nothing short of scandalous.” He called for a national review to prevent further “avoidable tragedy.”
Nicola Wise, CQC Director of Secondary and Specialist Care, acknowledged examples of good care but voiced concerns over persistent safety issues impacting maternity services. The CQC has urged for targeted funding to address these critical needs.
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