Medway told to improve maternity service

At a recent unannounced inspection in August the Gillingham based-hospital was issued with three formal warnings after failing to meet national regulations in staffing, supporting workers and assessing and monitoring the quality of provision.

The warning was announced today, several days after it emerged that Patrick Johnson, the trust’s deputy chief executive and director of operations, had left the trust at the end of September.

CQC inspectors visited maternity wards, a delivery suite, an antenatal clinic and three community locations. They also held focus groups with expectant mothers.

Staffing was a particular matter of concern, with too few midwives to give the required level of care. Midwives told the inspectors that they were expected to manage themselves.

The storage of medicines was also flagged as an issue with intravenous fluids kept under the sink on the floor in one instance.

Adrian Hughes, regional director of the CQC in the south, said: “The report we have published today shows that the trust needs to deal with staffing levels as a matter of priority – and also to support the midwives who already work there better to perform their roles.”

He added: “We found that governance systems and management oversight of the services were not good enough, and this needs to change.”

The trust is already under special measures following Sir Bruce Keogh’s report and another unannounced inspection will take place in the near future.

Pat Gould, regional head for southern England at the Royal College of Midwives, said: “We recognise and welcome the efforts the trust has made to recruit more midwives and we will continue to support our members and work with the trust.”

She added: “However, this is an important wake-up call for the management of this trust to focus on maternity services, support their midwives who are doing a very good job under what appear to be very difficult conditions and, ensure that the women of the area get the service they need and deserve.”