Mothers and babies 'at risk' after inspectors find 'unsafe' understaffing again at maternity unit

Maternity services at a Greater Manchester hospital have been slammed again after inspectors found mothers and babies have been 'at risk' because of 'unsafe' understaffing. Maternity care at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport was ranked as 'requires improvement' in a report published in May 2020 by the health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The inspectors have published another report again rating the maternity care as 'requires improvement' after it was reviewed in September. “We were concerned that staff often felt care was unsafe due to understaffing," the CQC said in the wake of the report, published today (Friday, May 10), said.

"On the day of our inspection there should have been 37 midwives for the 24-hour period, but there were only 27 meaning staff were working under pressure, and stretched thinly, which could place people at risk," the document added.

"A staff survey showed understaffing and excessive workload was also impacting on their ability to take breaks which needs to be addressed to ensure they don’t get burnout." The inspection was carried out as part of CQC’s national maternity inspection programme, amid fears over safety for mothers and babies needing maternity care across the country.

READ MORE: Major Greater Manchester hospital's outpatients, radiology department and critical care unit 'quite literally crumbling', says MP

The programme stems from cases of serious harm and even fatalities of mothers and babies because of lacking maternity care across England spanning years. Greater Manchester has seen multiple reports from the CQC highlighting similar problems at other major maternity units in the region, including lack of senior staff, delays and telephone services.

One of the