Delayed report on maternity services published

Since the inspection nine months ago the team has been meeting every two weeks with the regulator as part of an extensive improvement programme and the Trust is confident that significant progress has been made in addressing many of the issues.

The report rates maternity provision at GRH as ‘inadequate.’ The full report can be viewed on the CQC’s website from Wednesday 15 January.

Kevin McNamara, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “While we recognise that there’s more to do, we have made some significant progress since the inspection in March last year.

“We acted immediately in response to the feedback from inspectors and the CQC has been closely involved with us in driving these improvements throughout. They have recognised the progress that has been made and I want to reassure families that we are committed to providing high-quality, safe maternity care.”

Examples of good progress already achieved include:

• Clinical practice: Reduced waiting times for scans e.g. we have reduced waiting times for foetal scans from an average of 10 days to below 2 days. These scans are performed to check on baby if the mother reports reduced movement.
• Governance: Audit compliance has been strengthened and fewer women are haemorrhaging during birth. Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) of 1500ml or more requires immediate medical attention. Data shows that the rates at GRH (1500 ml or above) have reduced and are sometimes below or in line with the national average.
• Staff training: A 100% compliance record of induction training among agency staff meaning all agency midwives have working knowledge and access to systems meaning safer care for mums and their babies.
• Staff recruitment: Staffing numbers have improved despite a national shortage of key skills and good recruitment is strong. We have successfully recruited an additional 25 colleagues who’ll join the team between now and March 2025. This is thanks to partnership work undertaken including new relationships with Oxford Brookes and the University of Birmingham as well as established relationships with the University of Gloucestershire, University of Worcester and University of the West of England.

Matt Holdaway, Chief Nurse, added: “It is important for expectant parents and those families accessing our services to hear about the good care we continue to deliver.

“In that regard we are continuing to invest heavily in our service, to work closely with regulators and advisory teams, to ensure that we can continue to provide a service that we are all proud of.

“The areas identified by the regulators largely relate to training and processes and we are absolutely determined to continue making the necessary improvements.”