Two maternity services in Devon 'require improvements'

Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital is one of the hospitals which was inspected by the healthcare watchdog

Maternity services at two hospitals in Devon need to make improvements to the way care is provided, inspectors say.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the maternity services at Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (RD&E) and North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) as "requires improvement" following inspections.

NDDH's rating remained the same, while it is the first time RD&E maternity has been rated as a standalone service.

The trust which operated both hospitals said it was "disappointed".

The CQC said it looked at how safe and well-led the services were.

At RD&E, the watchdog said inspectors found:

• Issues with midwifery staffing levels including high sickness rates

• Leaders did not have good systems to manage risks

• Staff had not completed all mandatory training or safeguarding

• Medicines were not always stored or managed effectively including out-of-date medicine

• There was no recent drill exercise for baby abductions despite national guidance

At NDDH, inspectors found:

• Issues with midwifery staffing levels

• Leaders did not have good systems to manage risks

• Medicines were not always stored or managed effectively

• Records were unclear on transparency with patients

• There was no recent drill exercise for baby abductions despite national guidance

The report found staffing levels at RD&E "did not always match planned numbers" which "put the safety of women and babies at risk".

It said certain equipment and control measures were not always used to prevent infection, and some areas were not always visibly clean.

Staff did not always have the skills or resources to improve services despite being committed to do so, the report said.

The report found NDDH staff did not monitor waiting times to "make sure women and birthing people could access emergency services when needed".

Arrival times for both midwifery and medical reviews were not easily accessible to staff, which "increased the risk" of people not being "assessed in a safe and timely manner".

'Constructive and comprehensive'

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which operates both hospitals, said it was "disappointed" in the findings of the report.

Sam Higginson, chief executive officer, said the trust would use "all feedback as an opportunity to improve our services", and added work was already underway to "address the findings in the report."

He added: "We are of course disappointed with the outcome, however we feel the reports provide a constructive and comprehensive sense of the areas we must target for improvement to ensure we meet the needs of women and birthing people and their babies in North and East Devon."