CQC says maternity units at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford and QEQM in Margate have improved from ‘inadequate’ to ‘good’
Maternity units at two Kent hospitals have made “significant improvements” since receiving the worst-possible rating from inspectors.
Reports published in 2023 highlighted alarming failures at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford and QEQM in Margate.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) uncovered blood-stained toilets, dirty equipment on wards and a risk of babies being misidentified.
The watchdog also found chronic staff shortages, poor infection control and vital resuscitation equipment being stored in corridors during its unannounced visits.
However, two years on, CQC chiefs have praised the East Kent Hospitals Trust (EKHT) for turning around the fortunes of both maternity units, which have been upgraded from “inadequate” to “good”.
At the William Harvey, inspectors said the new maternity leadership team had created a culture where staff felt empowered to speak up about concerns without fear, rather than one of blame.
Workers told the CQC they now feel listened to and valued, with 86% saying they would feel confident raising safety issues compared to just 32% previously.
Leaders also significantly improved staffing levels, with vacancy rates reduced from 32% to just 8% for midwives through successful recruitment and retention initiatives.
They had also implemented a mandatory training programme that 92% of staff had completed which included safety training.
At the QEQM, bosses had brought in a new multidisciplinary approach to handovers which had significantly improved communication between teams. Staff reported greater confidence in the continuity of care, which had improved the experience of mothers.
The introduction of dedicated perinatal mental health support was also praised, as was the reduction in waiting times from four weeks to under seven days.
However, inspectors found outdated hospital buildings at the QEQM meant some clinical areas and labour rooms are too small and lack en-suite facilities, compromising the care staff are able to give. There is also currently only one obstetric theatre.
EKHT has been given £1.8 million from NHS England to progress the development of the maternity units, which will increase the size of labour rooms and provide a second obstetric theatre for caesarean sections, in line with national guidance.
It will also extend the maternity triage area in the next phase of refurbishment at the William Harvey, while the bereavement suite has been refurbished and moved away from the labour ward.
Serena Coleman, CQC’s deputy director of operations in Kent, says there has been “significant improvement”.
“Our experience tells us that when a service isn’t well-led it’s difficult for them to provide good care in other areas,” she said.
“This turnaround in ratings across both services demonstrates what can be achieved with strong and capable leaders who focus on an inclusive and positive culture.
“The trust has made good progress and now needs to demonstrate that they can embed, sustain and build on these improvements going forward.”
EKHT chief executive Tracey Fletcher says the CQC reports reflect the hard work and dedication of staff.
“This is an important milestone in our continuing work to improve our services and embed the lessons outlined in the ‘Reading the Signals’ report into our Trust, published by Dr Kirkup in 2022,” she said.
In October 2022, EKHT apologised “unreservedly” to parents after an independent investigation found 45 baby deaths since 2009 would likely have been prevented with proper care.
It had involved more than 200 cases being looked at by an expert panel chaired by Dr Bill Kirkup.
