Maternity services at Addenbrookes and The Rosie rated 'inadequate'
Inspectors said there are not always enough staff to keep women and babies safe
Last updated 1st Sep 2023
Inspectors have said there are not always enough staff to keep women and babies safe at Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie Hospitals in Cambridge.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated the maternity services at the hospitals as ‘requires improvement’.
The hospitals remain rated as good overall.
Concerns were raised about the training and qualifications of staff.
The report said: “Women attending triage often did not have timely medical review because medical staff also provided cover for other units including the delivery suite maternity assessment unit.
“Lack of medical staffing impacted on the support maternity triage received to maintain safe care for women and birthing people.”
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), which runs the two hospitals, said every staff member is “dedicated to providing the best possible care” and that many of the improvements needed are already being addressed.
The report recognised the impact the high cost of living in Cambridge had on recruitment at the hospital, which is not able to offer a higher cost of living allowance as is available in London.
It said managers had accurately calculated and reviewed the number of midwives and midwifery support staff needed for each shift, but said appropriate numbers of staff with the right skill mix were not always available.
There is also concern about the high levels of junior staff working and their workload.
The report said: “The service confirmed 30 per cent of midwifery workforce were junior staff and junior medical staff told us this impacted on their workload as they were expected to do more on their shifts.
“Junior medical staff said they did not feel supported in their role. They had raised concerns relating to workload, training, and stress.
Inspectors said the Trust had improved its midwifery staffing levels and said the total vacancy rate in March 2023 was 1.74, equating to 3.7 full time equivalent roles.