Hospital midwives at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford were instructed to work consecutive double shifts without adequate rest, forcing them to stay awake for over 24 hours, revealed an NHS inspector. The extended shifts were flagged by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which also noted issues with timely triage for pregnant women and underreporting of labor induction delays as incidents.
The CQC report highlighted the redeployment of community staff to cover overnight hospital shifts during busy periods, leading to prolonged work without breaks. This practice resulted in staff being sleep-deprived for more than 24 hours, impacting their well-being and potentially compromising patient safety due to the increased risk of errors caused by fatigue.
In response to the findings, a national investigation chaired by Baroness Valerie Amos will soon release its report on NHS maternity care, focusing on preventable maternal and infant deaths during childbirth. Despite the concerns raised, the overall maternity unit performance received a “good” rating, an improvement from the previous “requires improvement” status, with the exception of the safety rating for maternity services at John Radcliffe, which still requires improvement.
Amanda Williams, Deputy Director of the CQC, acknowledged some positive changes in service delivery and praised the caring and supportive approach of the staff towards women’s individualized care. However, she noted that the maternity unit at John Radcliffe faced significant pressure, leading to inconsistent safety systems.
Following the investigation, the trust committed to discontinuing exhausting shift patterns and ensuring that midwives receive compensatory rest periods after midnight shifts. Simon Crowther, the interim CEO of the trust, emphasized the seriousness of the findings and the ongoing efforts to address the identified issues promptly. The trust aims to collaborate with stakeholders to enhance service quality and safety for patients and their families.
