Isle of Wight Maternity Services has received a Good rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The CQC’s report, published on Wednesday 14 December, followed two days of planned visits by inspectors to the Maternity Unit at St. Mary’s Hospital in October 2022.
The inspections were undertaken as part of the CQC’s national maternity services inspection programme which aims to give an up-to-date view of hospital maternity care across the country.
Inspectors found services to be safe and well led and staff were supported to achieve and fulfil their roles in an environment that was conducive to learning and supporting staff development.
Amanda Pearson, Director of Midwifery said: “We are delighted to receive a Good rating by the Care Quality Commission, particularly at such a challenging time for Maternity Services and the wider NHS.
“It is really pleasing to see our commitment to safety, learning and improvement coming through in the report.
“Our Good rating is true testament to our hard working midwives, doctors and support staff for their dedication and commitment to continually improve the care we offer to pregnant people and their families.”
Mr Nicholas Kenney, Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology said: “I am proud to work with such a dedicated, committed, hard working team. I am pleased the CQC report reflects the highly professional and compassionate care that we, as clinicians, see every day.”
During the inspection inspectors found:
- Staff received key skills training and collaborated for patients. They also understood how to protect patients from abuse
- There were enough staff to care for women and keep them safe
- Infection risks, medicines and safety incidents were managed well
- Women who chose to give birth outside of guidelines were supported make sure the birth was as safe as possible. Midwives said the teams worked together well to support informed choice
- The service engaged well with women and communities to plan and manage services, and people could access it when they needed
- Staff and leaders were committed to continually improving services
The report identified some areas for improvement around the monitoring, analysing and evaluating triage times and the recording and administering of medicines to improve the service for women.
At the time of the inspection an electronic triage system was implemented, as planned, and updates to the prescription chart were made.
Lynsey Stanton, Local Maternity Voice Partnership (MVP) Chair said: “I am so pleased to hear the positive outcome of the department's recent CQC inspection. It's been an unprecedented few years but the team have adapted and managed the challenges well.
“I would like to thank all the staff who have been involved with listening to the voice of local families and using the insights to shape services. The CQC outcome is a testament to this and I very much look forward to continuing the work next year. Well done and congratulations to all involved.”
Dr Michele Legg, Clinical Director for Isle of Wight at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, said:
“This is recognition of the dedication and skill of our amazing colleagues in maternity services across the Island’s NHS. I want to say a huge thank you to all of our staff that work so hard every day for the families in their care.”
Carolyn Jenkinson, CQC head of hospital inspection, said:
“Maternity services across England have faced significant challenges, but the Isle of Wight Trust have worked hard to not only ensure the safety of women but also allow staff to achieve their roles in an environment encouraging learning and development.
“We observed a well-run department with staff doing their very best for the women in their charge. There are some things that do need to be reviewed such as the evaluation of triage times and ensuring more clarity around the recording of medicines, but the trust leadership are already aware of these issues and working to resolve them.
“Staff felt valued and respected, and there were instances of good collaboration in the interest of women and babies.
“We continue to monitor it closely, including through future inspections, and we look forward to find what future improvements have been put in place.”
The full report is available on the CQC website.
