Inspection finds problems at maternity hospital
Rusty bed frames and stained mattresses were found
An unannounced inspection of the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow last October raised concerns about the standard of some equipment.
Staff from the Healthcare Enviroment Inspectorate (HEI) watchdog found that an emergency birthing room was dusty, being used to store equipment and that the birthing bed frame and stirrups were rusty whilst a mattress cover used when resuscitating newborns was damaged.
They also found some incubator mattresses were stained and expressed breast milk had to be binned or pasteurised after some freezers were found to be too warm.
Claire Sweeney, interim director of quality assurance for Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said:
“During the inspection of Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, we saw staff using good hand-hygiene practices while carrying out their duties and the standard of domestic cleaning was good.
“However, we identified issues for improvement. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde must ensure expressed breast milk is stored safely. The emergency birthing room and the incubator units must be kept clean and ready for use.”
The inspectors ordered the health board to take action in six areas, including safe storage of breast milk, ensuring the emergency birthing room and equipment is clean and that equipment in all clinical areas is able to be decontaminated.
However, they praised the hospital's general standard of cleanliness, highlighting that 100% of the 45 people surveyed said they thought ward cleanliness was good.
A NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokeswoman said:
“`We have put in place revised cleaning schedules in the emergency birthing room, replaced mattresses and implemented further staff training in infection control and safe storage of breast milk.”
The health watchdog was satisfied that improvements were seen upon a return visit to the hospital.