Concerns over Shropshire maternity services highlighted in report
A health watchdog's concerns over Shropshire's maternity services have been laid out in a report to hospital bosses.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has taken urgent action against the maternity department at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).
The trust, which runs Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford's Princess Royal Hospital, must report what actions it is taking on a weekly basis.
A report to SaTH's board said concerns were raised due to foetal heart monitoring being carried out at midwife-led units, when women were concerned about a reduction in their baby’s movements.
It said: "This recognises the rurality of the county and attempts to provide accessible services.
"CQC are concerned that the monitoring should have medical oversight.
"Further work is required to ensure that appropriate risk assessments and quality impact assessments are conducted.
"In the meantime, the service will be solely based at PRH."
Worries were also aired by the CQC that high risk women were being selectively reviewed by obstetricians, with the review being guided by a midwifery assessment.
The report said: "CQC felt that all women with risks should be reviewed.
Approach
"The midwife triage and prioritisation is used in other maternity units including some reviewed positively by CQC.
"Further work is required to review the current approach."
It comes as the review into mother and baby deaths and injuries at hospitals in the county is now understood to be examining more than 100 cases.
An independent review into baby deaths at SaTH was launched last year at the request of then Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Hospitals bosses have said it is important that any families who have any questions or concerns over their care are given the chance to have them explored.
People in the county are also eagerly awaiting the start of a public consultation on plans to scrap births completely at the maternity units in Bridgnorth, Oswestry and Ludlow.
The proposals have been put forward by Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups.
SaTH says that inpatient services at the rural maternity units have been temporarily suspended on safety grounds for the foreseeable future.
It has proposed that the temporary suspensions continue until a new long term sustainable model of care can be implemented by the CCGs.
Health bosses said more than 98 per cent of women were giving birth away from the rural midwife-led units and the trust has to deploy its midwives where women are choosing, or are being assessed as needing to be.
