Healthcare Commission criticises maternity provision

The health watchdog has published a new report into maternity services based on a review of 150 NHS trusts.

It found major recurring issues including inadequate staffing and bad teamwork, which could suggest a national problem.

Maternity services also accounted for one in ten requests to the commission to investigate particular trusts.

The report did find women in general view services favourably, with 89 per cent rating care during labour as good or better.

But this figure varied widely from trust to trust - as high as 96 per cent in one area but just 67 per cent in another.

Other concerns included a lack of continuity of care and doctors and midwives not attending in-service training courses.

Sir Ian Kennedy, chair of the commission, said: "There is clearly more to be done to improve the quality of clinical care as well as the experiences of women. The matters raised and the views expressed must not be ignored."

The commission has recommended trusts make sure they have enough staff, monitor standards of care and keep staff training up to date.