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Maternity Units in England Have Poorest Safety Ratings, Says Regulator

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England's healthcare regulator has expressed concern over the safety ratings of maternity units, with two-thirds of them deemed not safe enough. The proportion of units with the poorest safety ranking has more than doubled, raising concerns about avoidable harm to mothers and babies. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has called for immediate action to ensure high-quality care in all maternity settings across England.

England's healthcare regulator has told BBC News that maternity units currently have the poorest safety ratings of any hospital service it inspects. BBC analysis of Care Quality Commission (CQC) records showed it deemed two-thirds (67%) of them not to be safe enough, up from 55% last autumn. The Department for Heath and Social Care (DHSC) said £165m a year was being invested in boosting the maternity workforce, but said 'we know there is more to do'.

The BBC's analysis also revealed the proportion of maternity units with the poorest safety ranking of 'inadequate' - meaning that there is a high risk of avoidable harm to mother or baby - has more than doubled from 7% to 15%. The CQC, which also inspects core services such as emergency care and critical care, said the situation was 'unacceptable' and 'disappointing'. 'We've seen this deterioration, and action needs to happen now, so that women can have the assurance they need that they're going to get that high-quality care in any maternity setting across England,' said Kate Terroni, the CQC's deputy chief executive

 

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