Maternity unit inspections could help keep mothers and babies safe, says expert

Routine inspections of maternity units across Scotland are to start from next year in a move which could play a “key part in helping to keep mothers and babies safe”.

Bosses at Healthcare Improvement Scotland said the checks – which will be unannounced – will start being carried out from January 2025.

It comes after a report for the health body, published earlier this year, said that “to prevent as many baby deaths as possible, a review of both maternity and neonatal care is an essential part of midwifery, obstetric and neonatal practice”.

Dr Helen Mactier carried out the review for Healthcare Improvement Scotland after there were 135 neonatal deaths – those which occur in the first 28 days of an infants’ life – between April 2021 and March 2022, with that total higher than expected.

The retired consultant neonatologist said she was “delighted to hear that maternity unit inspections are to begin in Scotland from January”.

She added: “I believe this will play a key part in helping to keep mothers and babies safe, and to improve care across all Scotland’s maternity units.”

The inspections will be similar to those carried out by Healthcare Improvement Scotland in hospitals across Scotland, with each visit lasting between one and three days.

During their time in a maternity unit, inspectors will observe the care given to women, speak to staff and senior managers, and also talk to mothers.

They will consider issues such as staffing levels, leadership in the units, and the culture, in a bid to ensure the best care is provided to mothers and their babies.

Any issues found will be raised with staff and management during the inspection visit, Healthcare Improvement Scotland said, so these can start to be addressed immediately.

The NHS board concerned will also have to set out an action plan for dealing with issues, which will be published, along with the inspectors’ findings.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland made clear it has the option to escalate serious issues to the Scottish Government – and could also close wards if it is deemed to be necessary for safety.

Ann Gow, director of nursing and systems improvement at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “We believe inspections of maternity units in Scotland will help provide public assurance around the care that women and babies can expect to receive in maternity units.

“The inspections will allow expectant families to read independent reports of the care that they can expect to receive, at what can be a worrying time.

“Where there are improvements to be made, they can be assured that the maternity unit has accepted the findings and has an action plan to bring about improvements.”

Meanwhile, Jaki Lambert, director of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Scotland, said she is “cautiously optimistic” that the introduction of inspections will “help to shine a light on the challenges” midwives face in providing care.

But she stressed the need to make sure they are not “used as a tool to undermine an already challenged and under-resourced workforce”, and vowed the RCM “will be watching and listening to make sure this does not happen”.

She said: “Midwives and maternity care assistants work hard every day to support and work with families at such an important time in their lives, but they can only do that with the right resources, leadership and culture to support them.”