Patients share experience of under-review maternity care

Leah had a positive experience giving birth at the QE Hospital and said being local made the whole process 'less daunting'

Women with experience of maternity care at a Norfolk hospital that is part of a national review have been sharing their experiences with the BBC.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn is included in a national review of maternity services.

Its inclusion surprised leaders at the hospital, who pointed to the unit's 'good' rating from the regulator the Care Quality Commission.

Around 2,000 births take place at the QEH every year.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital's maternity services had been rated good by the CQC

Cara, 27, was under the care of the QEH in 2023 when she was told at her 20-week scan her baby boy had a club foot.

She was referred to the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge, where she was told he had much more severe development issues and would die shortly after birth.

Cara went on to have the pregnancy terminated for medical reasons at the QEH, and described the staff as uncaring.

"I was also told that 'one silver lining is that you get your maternity leave'," she said.

"That line has haunted me since.

"I didn't want maternity leave without my baby.

"The lack of care after was atrocious."

When asked about Cara's experience, Esther Dorken, head of midwifery at the QEH, said: "Every baby is precious.

"We are very sorry for Cara's loss and that she did not receive the care she should have received at our hospital.

"We are committed to listening to women, and their families, and making changes.

"We have taken appropriate action to address the issues raised".

'Very positive' experience

Leah, 26, had both her children, four-year-old Jenson and Hartlie who is 10 months, at the QEH.

She said during the births in 2021 and 2024 she felt safe and well cared for.

"I went into labour naturally with my first which nearly led to a caesarean section but thankfully it didn't end up that way," she said.

"With my second I was induced and again very positive throughout with the help of all staff and an epidural I was able to continue a natural birth.

"Being able to have my baby close to home at the QEH was very important to me not just for convenience, but also for peace of mind and the comfort of being in a familiar environment."

Lesley Dwyer, group chief executive of the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group, which runs the QEH, The Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (NNUH) and the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, encouraged pregnant women and families not to delay seeking care from the QEH because of the review.

She said women with complex pregnancies would be referred to other hospitals including the NNUH, which is 40 miles away, more quickly during the review of care at the QEH.

"We want to make sure that when we recognise someone is needing a high level of care we will work really closely with the NNUH to make sure that they get that," she said.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can access support via BBC Action Line