Maternity services 'inadequate' at Durham and Darlington hospitals

Inspectors said maternity staff told them staffing levels were creating unsafe conditions

Maternity services at two north-east hospitals have been rated inadequate.

Some of the failures at the University Hospital of North Durham and Darlington Memorial Hospital maternity units could have put women and babies "at risk", the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.

Midwives warned managers conditions were unsafe but nothing was done, the inspectors said after a March visit.

The hospitals' trust said the report was "disappointing" and was working "tremendously hard" on shortfalls.

NHS trust nursing director Noel Scanlon said the report was "disappointing reading" but improvements were being made

During their visit, CQC inspectors discovered staffing issues had resulted in women's inductions being delayed, including for babies categorised as high risk.

It also found midwives were working late, missing breaks and taking sick leave due to stress because the units were understaffed.

Staff said they didn't feel "supported and valued" and not all of them had training in the skills needed for their roles, the CQC said.

Both units had previously been rated good.

CQC inspectors found national standards and policies were not being followed which could put women and babies "at risk"

Carolyn Jenkinson, the CQC's Deputy Director of Secondary and Specialist Healthcare, said patients weren't being "observed or risk assessed appropriately" which "increased the risk of a delay in recognising when their condition deteriorated" and a potential delay in their care.

"We found multiple examples where screening tests hadn't been carried out to safely manage the pregnancies of women and people using the service," she said.

Ms Jenkinson said there had been more than 70 incidents in the past year where national screening standards and policies had not been followed which could place "women and their babies at risk".

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust's Director of Nursing, Noel Scanlon said new equipment had been bought and more staff trained since the inspection.

Inspectors will make a further unannounced visit to the Durham and Darlington maternity units before the end of 2023

"We've reformed our procedures around assessment of women in early labour and we've recruited 30 more midwives who'll join us in the next few months," he said.

Mr Scanlon said: "The report makes disappointing reading but I'd like to reassure anyone planning to give birth that our services are safe, compassionate and reliable."

Both maternity units will be re-inspected by the end of year.