'Unsafe' staff levels put mums and babies 'at risk'

HEALTH WATCHDOG SLAMS HOSPITAL MATERNITY SERVICES AGAIN

- HELENA VESTY

MATERNITY services at a Greater Manchester hospital have slammed again after inspectors found mothers and babies have been 'at risk' because of 'unsafe' understaffing.

Maternity care at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport was ranked as 'requires improvement' in a report published in May 2020 by the health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The inspectors have published another report, again rating the maternity care as 'requires improvement' after it was reviewed in September.

"We were concerned that staff often felt care was unsafe due to understaffing," the CQC said in the wake of the report, published yesterday, said.

"On the day of our inspection there should have been 37 midwives for the 24-hour period, but there were only 27, meaning staff were working under pressure and stretched thinly, which could place people at risk," the document added.

"A staff survey showed understaffing and excessive workload was also impacting on their ability to take breaks which needs to be addressed to ensure they don't get burnout."