Maternity Services: Care Quality Commission Report

A new report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) highlights continued concern about the variation in the quality and safety of England’s maternity services.

Published earlier this week, the CQC’s ‘Safety, Equity and Engagement in Maternity Services’ report presents an analysis of the key issues persisting in some maternity services and highlights where action is still needed to support vital improvements.

The report draws on the findings from a sample of nine focused maternity safety inspections carried out between March and June 2021, along with insight gathered from interviews and direct engagement with organisations representing in the Maternity Consortium, part of the Health & Wellbeing Alliance.

The report recognises that many maternity units across the country are providing good care, but reveals ongoing concerns about leadership and oversight of risk, team working and culture, and the extent to which services are engaging with and listening to the needs of their local population. It also points to the pressing need to address the inequalities in outcomes for Black and minority ethic women and babies, which have been further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the full report here.