North Yorkshire maternity services see significant investment following inadequate rating

A meeting has heard that maternity services at York and Scarborough hospitals have seen “significant investment” since being rated as inadequate by the Care Quality Commission.

The care watchdog said in June that people couldn’t access services at the hospitals when needed and found “poor leadership”.

Following a recent City of York Council scrutiny committee meeting where hospital chiefs from the trust were questioned, the committee chair said he saw “lots of encouragement” in recent changes.

During its last set of inspections culminating in March 2023, officials found issues with staff training and safety measures, and a lack of trained and qualified midwifery staff at both maternity units.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s interim chief nurse Dawn Parkes, was asked about maternity services staffing and culture.

Ms Parkes told the committee “There were some urgent actions taken before we got the report.  In maternity particularly there’s been a lot of investment, particularly around some of the specialist roles.

“Significant investment” had gone into maternity roles, she added, “One of the things I’ve put in place is a much clearer career framework.”

When questioned about governance, she said “It’s absolutely a core priority because unless we know our business, we can’t move forward.”

She added that work had been done in maternity services “so staff feel safe raising concerns.”

Danny Myers, Councillor and committee chair, said he saw “lots of encouragement” and “really positive” steps to address the damning CQC report.

Chadwick Lawrence’s Legal 500 recommended West Yorkshire medical negligence solicitors and birth injury solicitors, have over 20 years of experience and specialist expertise in medical negligence investigations and claims, including cerebral palsy claims and other birth injury claims, supporting injured clients and their families through the legal process and helping them obtain answers, justice and compensation after life-changing events.  We have offices in Huddersfield, Wakefield, Halifax, Leeds, Bradford and Morley and represent clients locally and nationally.

If you or a relative have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence lawyers on the freephone number below or e-mail us.

Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (jacquelinevance@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Freephone : 0800 304 7382