CQC Maternity Services Report
In December 2022 Healthwatch Oldham and Healthwatch Rochdale were commissioned by the CQC to carry out time-limited engagement with partners and or family members who had supported a pregnant or birthing person through the maternity journey between September 2021 to February 2023. We co-produced a survey with the CQC which we circulated online, through various social media platforms but was also promoted through direct engagement at over 21 outreach sessions at 16 different care settings or community groups. In addition, we collected more in-depth experiences in 5 case studies and held 5 focus groups.
Key Findings:
- In the survey and focus groups, people were asked how the CQC could make it easier to share experiences with them, and if anything currently would prevent people from going to the CQC. Several people responded that they had not heard of the CQC and were not aware that you could raise concerns or provide feedback directly to them.
- Overall, to each question we received more positive responses than negative ones, with more than 60% of people responding positively to every question. However, there was significant variation in experiences with each question as can be demonstrated by the range of positive and negative examples provided. The highest positive scores were in response to the question which asked if their partner was cared for (84%) and if the supporting partner or family member felt able to speak up on behalf of their partner (86%). There were many examples shared of the excellent care that the pregnant or birthing person received and examples of individual staff showing kindness and compassion.
- The greatest variation in experience and those with the most negative responses were concerning the questions on individualised care, with 40% reporting that it was not personalised to their needs, 27% reporting care was not personalised to their partner’s needs and when asked if the supporting partner knew whom to raise concerns with, 35% did not.
Mixed views and negative experiences, areas for consideration and focus for the CQC:
- Poor communication and levels of empathy shown – some partners expressed frustration at the lack of information provided and insufficient compassion of some of the staff involved in the care of their partner. Many of the negative experiences shared expressed that the maternity team seemed too busy and did not take the time to understand their individual needs or circumstances. Many of the negative experiences were that the partner’s views or involvement weren’t welcomed or considered. In some of the experiences, the individual practice of the health professional did not show the level of empathy or understanding that the partner or family member would have expected.
- Witnessing poor quality of care of their partner or family member – where negative experiences were shared the majority of these were regarding the quality of care at appointments, particularly where scans were significantly delayed and at hospital ante-natal settings, where the birthing person was required to wait for significant periods. Concerning the birthing experience, there was significant variation in the continuity of care between different departments and if a transfer of care was required when shifts changed. In many of these examples, the partner or family member didn’t feel that their experiences were being listened to and enough was done to rectify the poor experiences when they were raised.
Following our engagement work, through what partners and family members shared with us, the following are key areas for improvement from a lived experience point of view:
- Staff need more time so that they aren't as rushed and can provide more individualised care. Several people mentioned there could be a role for volunteers with direct experience in maternity services to provide some practical support in the hospital setting or ante-natal settings.
- Provide refresher training to convey the importance of compassionate care and deeper listening by key staff to the experiences and needs of the pregnant or birthing person and the partner or family member.
- Ensure the Birth Plan is continuously referred to throughout the whole maternity journey and added to as new information is shared. This should include cultural and individual needs.
• Provide more information about whom to go to and how to raise a concern, if this is needed. Encourage people to speak up and have posters and other prompts to help aid this.
