Healthcare Commission Critical of Maternity Services at St. Helier & Epsom

10.20.40am GMT Wed 30th Jan 2008

The recent report from the Healthcare Commission which rated maternity services at Epsom and St Helier University NHS Trust hospitals has revealed some disturbing figures.

These hospitals earned an average score of 2.56 out of 5 and thus the assessment of 'least well performing.' The report comes at a critical time when England's maternity wards are facing troubles with falling numbers in future midwives.

The categories that received the lowest scores were; adequate training and recent maternity experience of the staff, post-natal care, the accessibility of information relating to maternity care and staffing levels.

Commenting on the Healthcare Commission report which rated the Epsom and ST Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust below average Tom Brake MP for Carshalton and Wallington said, "This is a very disappointing result for our maternity services. No aspect of maternity care achieved even the average score, let alone a good or best performance. Of particular concern was the poor performance rating for staff levels, a score of just one out of a maximum of five. There can be no guarantee of top quality care without the right staffing levels."