Mothers waiting 62 hours to be induced among maternity unit safety issues

An unannounced inspection of maternity services in Forth Valley has raised safety issues, including mothers waiting up to 62 hours for labour to be induced.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) also found there had been delays as long as 18 months following investigations into serious incidents at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

It said women were receiving compassionate care at the hospital in Larbert but that mothers and babies were put at risk by the long delays.

NHS Forth Valley said work was already under way to address the recommendations and requirements outlined in the report.

The third report on a maternity unit by the NHS safety watchdog will help inform a national investigation into maternity services across Scotland.

The Scottish government committed to a review after a BBC Disclosure investigation heard calls from families, NHS staff and experts for urgent action to improve maternity safety across the country.

Routine unannounced inspections of all 18 obstetric units were introduced following an independent review that followed a spike in the deaths of newborn babies.

Around 3,000 babies are born each year at Forth Valley Royal Hospital

Forth Valley Royal Hospital was inspected in August and while staff were praised for good team work, the unit was given 11 safety requirements.

Inspectors found:

• In the triage department, there had been a deterioration over recent months in seeing the most clinically urgent pregnant women within 15 minutes due to staffing or a lack of space

• Better communication was needed between maternity triage and the emergency department to make sure patients were in the right place

• The labour ward was organised and well led but mothers frequently faced delays of up to 62 hours in the induction of labour because of staff availability

HIS also reviewed all patient safety incidents six months prior to the inspection and found not all were being reported correctly.

Five reports were overdue, with the longest delay recorded as 18 months.

A national inquiry into maternity services across Scotland had been ordered by the Scottish government

HIS chief inspector Donna Maclean said staff were "providing compassionate and responsive care to women and their families" and were complimented by patients in the unit.

"Areas for improvement included improved oversight of activity within the maternity unit to support the safe delivery of care, including delays to care within maternity triage," she said.

"We also observed the need for improved governance and oversight of adverse events to ensure these are reliably reported and identified improvement actions implemented in good time."

'Good teamwork'

Prof Karen Goudie, NHS Forth Valley's executive nurse director, said the HIS report found "good teamwork" and "supportive leadership" but noted a number of areas for improvement.

She added: "Work is already under way to address the recommendations and requirements outlined in the report."

"We welcome the feedback from the inspection team and will continue to work with Health Improvement Scotland, local staff, women and their families to further strengthen and improve local systems and support."