Inspectors rate UBHW maternity services as 'good'

Inspectors have found the availability of staff at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston is impacting the availability of care in its maternity wards.

The service has been looked at as part of the Care Quality Commission's programme, looking at maternity services across the country.

They've once again been rated as 'good', following an inspection of the maternity services at Weston General Hospital and UHBW Bristol Main Site (St Michael’s Hospital) back in December.

Following the inspection, the overall maternity service ratings at Ashcombe Birth Centre at Weston General Hospital was rated as good as were the ratings for safe and well led - in what's the first time the Ashcombe centre has been rated as a standalone service.

This inspection didn’t rate how effective, caring and responsive the service was.

The main UBHW site in Bristol remains rated as good as was the rating for well led.

Safe remains rated as requires improvement.

This inspection didn’t rate how effective, caring and responsive the service was.

The overall rating for UHBW Bristol Main Site remains good overall, whilst Weston General Hospital is not currently rated - meanwhile the overall rating for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust remains as good.

Inspectors found in both services:

• Staff worked well together for the benefit of women and birthing people
• Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent
• Staff felt respected, supported, and valued and were focused on the needs of woman and birthing people receiving care
• People could access the services when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for treatment
• Staff were committed to continually improving services
• The services engaged well with women and birthing people and the community to plan and manage services

However, at UHBW inspectors also found:

• Staff did not always complete checks of emergency equipment
• The service did not always review incidents in a timely way
• Midwifery staffing levels overall impacted on staffing levels on the postnatal wards and the availability of midwifery led care

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