Hospital midwives at an NHS trust were instructed to work double shifts without sleep, resulting in them being awake for more than 24 hours, according to a Care Quality Commission (CQC) investigation. The gruelling shift patterns were uncovered at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, which also failed to triage pregnant women on time and did not properly report delays in induction of labour as incidents.
Findings of the CQC Report
The CQC report into Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust revealed that managers redeployed community staff to fill hospital shifts overnight during busy periods, leading to extended periods without rest. Staff reported being awake for over 24 hours, which they felt impacted their wellbeing and patient safety. The report emphasised that fatigue can cause mistakes leading to harm.
National Context
This latest report comes amid a series of maternity scandals at understaffed trusts across the country. A national investigation chaired by Baroness Valerie Amos is set to deliver its findings later this month, examining why mothers and babies continue to die needlessly during childbirth. The probe will address issues like underreporting of induction delays as incidents.
Ratings and Responses
Despite the issues, the CQC rated the overall maternity unit, including the Horton General Hospital run by the same trust, as “good,” up from “requires improvement.” However, safety at the John Radcliffe maternity services was rated as “requires improvement.” Amanda Williams, CQC deputy director, noted that while some improvements had been made, the John Radcliffe unit operated under significant pressure, and safety systems did not always work consistently well.
Following the investigation, the trust committed to ending such gruelling shift patterns and ensuring that if a shift occurs after midnight, the midwife is entitled to a compensatory rest period the following day. Simon Crowther, interim chief executive, stated that the trust takes the findings seriously and has begun work to address them, focusing on urgency and embedding changes to build on progress.
