Inspectors find Newcastle's RVI maternity services need improvement

CQC inspectors said medicines at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary's maternity unit were not always managed well

A hospital's maternity services have been rated as "needing improvement" by inspectors who found not all staff had relevant training.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in January as part of a wider look at England's maternity care.

Inspectors said not all staff had training in key skills and medicines were not always managed well.

The "disappointing" rating was not a "fair reflection", trust bosses said.

Despite the maternity services rating, the RVI was rated outstanding overall.

Inspectors said they found unsecured and out-of-date medicines in some areas of the maternity unit.

They said they also found some staff did not feel respected, supported, and valued.

Some expressed dissatisfaction they had not been involved in changes to working practices and the way in which senior leaders had communicated these to them, the inspectors' report said.

However, it also said leaders ran "services well using reliable information systems" and supported staff to develop their skills.

The service engaged well with those giving birth and the community to plan and manage services, inspectors also found.

'Work well together'

Dame Jackie Daniel, the chief executive of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "With such positive findings in the CQC report, it is difficult to understand the resultant rating which we do not think... is a fair reflection of the maternity service and dedicated care that our teams provide every day.

"The report describes how our staff work well together for the benefit of women and birthing people, how they managed safety well - focussing on the needs of those receiving care - and that everyone was committed to improving services continually."

She said she was "proud" of the team for the "dedication, professionalism and caring attitude that they show each day whilst supporting those in our care".

She said that was reflected in other national benchmarking - for example in the CQC's national maternity survey.

Dame Jackie Daniel said she was "very disappointed" with the rating

Dame Jackie said that for four consecutive years the maternity service had achieved all 10 of NHS Resolutions Maternity Safety Actions, which she said demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the highest standards of safety.

"We are very disappointed with the rating applied to the service," she added.

"Whatever the rating, our response will be to focus on learning and improvement as it is for any external or internal service review.

"Listening to people who use our maternity services is so important, as we completely understand that peoples' experience can differ."