'Ratings reflect our hard work'

MATERNITY services at Derby and Burton's hospitals have improved but concerns for patient safety remain, following a delayed inspection.

- By GEORGE ALLEN

The CQC has rated maternity services at Queen's Hospital in Burton and Royal Derby Hospital as “requires improvement” the third rating of four grades increasing from the lowest score of “inadequate” they received in late 2023.

Two of four assessment categories, “caring” and “well-led”, are now rated “good” at Royal Derby, with the categories of “caring” and “responsive” rated “good” at Queen's.

This updated checkup was carried out nearly a year ago in December 2024, 13 months on from the initial “inadequate” rating which had seen the watchdog enforce “urgent action” for change because it “believed a person will or may be exposed to the risk of harm if we did not do so”.

It now says: “The service had made some progress since the last inspection to reduce the risk within the service. The risk or potential risk to women's safety was still a concern.”

Key issues include leadership continuing (at the time of the report) to not listen to concerns about safety or learn lessons, and staff being seemingly reprimanded for raising issues.

This includes delays for labour, C-sections and other elective surgeries not being reported under orders from leadership.

Issues were also found with staff not monitoring women's safety sufficiently or ensuring continuity of care during handovers.