NHS maternity staff across England will be undergoing mandatory training to enhance patient safety following a critical report by the health regulator highlighting issues of poor care and harm during childbirth. The training will involve obstetricians, midwives, and obstetric anaesthetists at nine maternity units, with plans to expand the program to all maternity units nationwide if successful.
The initiative comes on the heels of a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report that revealed numerous problems in 131 maternity units, painting a concerning picture for the 600,000 women who give birth annually. The training program aims to equip staff with the necessary skills to identify distress signals in babies during labor promptly and handle obstetric emergencies effectively, such as when a baby’s head is deeply lodged during a caesarean section.
Gillian Merron, the minister for patient safety, women’s health, and mental health, emphasized the government’s commitment to improving maternity care to prevent preventable brain injuries in babies and ensure safe and compassionate care for all women and infants. The focus of the training will be on reducing avoidable brain injuries during childbirth, as the NHS has spent £4.1 billion over the past 11 years settling lawsuits related to such cases.
Specific pilot programs are being conducted at six maternity units to address impacted foetal head during caesarean birth and at three sites to enhance the detection and response to babies deteriorating under NHS care. The goal is to provide maternity teams with the necessary resources and training to effectively address challenges in delivering quality care.
The initiative has garnered support from various healthcare professionals, including Dr. Ranee Thakar, the president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and Gill Walton, the chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives. Both emphasized the importance of improving safety and reducing harm to babies, which can have devastating effects on mothers, families, and healthcare staff.
NHS England’s national clinical director for maternity, Donald Peebles, welcomed the government’s plans for additional training, noting that hospitals are already making strides in reducing rates of brain injuries during childbirth. The ongoing efforts to enhance patient safety and improve care standards in maternity units demonstrate a commitment to addressing critical issues and ensuring the well-being of women and babies across the country.