Medical Negligence Experts Supporting Hundreds Of Families Speak Out Following Care Quality Commission Report

Specialist lawyers representing hundreds of families affected by maternity issues have called for decisive action to improve care following a “damning report”.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has today published a review of more than 130 maternity units across the UK which found failings are becoming more widespread. 

Nearly half of maternity units inspected need to improve

Overall, it found 48% of maternity units were rated as requiring improvement or 'inadequate'. On the single issue of safety, 65% were judged to be either requiring improvement or failing –  47% and 18% respectively.

The health watchdog has warned that without action “the danger is that poor care and preventable harm will become normalised.”

Lawyers representing families affected by maternity failings concerned over findings

Specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell represent hundreds of families across the UK concerned about their maternity care. These include incidents of stillbirths, neo-natal deaths, serious birth injuries to mums and babies as well as maternal deaths. 

The legal experts, who are campaigning to improve maternity safety, are calling for action to improve care for families. 

Guy Forster is an expert medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell.

Expert Opinion

“This is yet another report which paints a damning picture of the UK’s maternity system.

“High profile scandals stretching back decades from Morecambe Bay to failings at Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals and East Kent Hospital Trust have all pointed to widespread and deep-rooted problems nationally. Today’s report once again backs up those fears.

“It's imperative that when something goes wrong in the NHS, families are listened to, problems are analysed and reviewed – and any recommendations implemented to prevent the same mistakes happening time and time again.

“Sadly, many recommendations from previous reports and investigations have not been fully implemented missing crucial opportunities to improve patient safety, learn from mistakes and prevent harm to patients in the first place - which is the best way to improve healthcare.

“Behind each client we represent is a human story of how families have been devastated by maternity issues. We once again call for decisive action to improve maternity safety nationally. Families receiving the best care and support needs to be the norm, not poor care and preventable harm which the CQC warns is at risk of becoming normalised.” Guy Forster

Maternity care issues identified by the CQC 

The CQC's 16-month investigation was aimed at maternity units not inspected and rated since March 2021 – about two-thirds of the total and mostly those it had been least worried about.

While regulators said they found examples of good care and practice, its concerns included: 

• Staffing shortages and tasks more suited to senior midwives and medical staff being undertaken by  nurses fresh out of university.

• Poor communication with women and families.

• Equipment problems, including call bells not working and poor pain management.

• Delays to emergency Caesareans because operating theatres were unavailable.

• Patients left lying in blood-stained sheets, compromising privacy and dignity as well as limited access to toilets and showers. 

• Inconsistencies in the way safety incidents were monitored and recorded, including major emergencies such as significant loss of blood and internal injuries recorded as causing low or no harm.

• Bad leadership creating blame cultures and low morale.

• Women facing triage delays, including instances of patients discharging themselves before they were seen.

• Concerns around health inequalities. Without national guidance the CQC said there was no way of effectively evaluating whether initiatives to make maternity care better for all were “driving much-needed change.”  

Pledges to improve maternity safety

Nicola Wise, the CQC’s director of secondary and specialist care said: “We cannot allow an acceptance of shortfalls that are not tolerated in other services.”

Meanwhile Health Secretary Wes Streeting, said: “These findings are cause for national shame.

"Women deserve better - childbirth should not be something they fear or look back on with trauma.”

Mr Streeting added the government would be working with struggling trusts to make rapid improvements, the BBC reports.

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in supporting families affected by maternity care issues at our dedicated birth injuries section. Alternatively, to speak to an expert contact us or call 0370 1500 100.