"In a statement, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs both hospitals, said it was sorry where "our service has fallen short" and it was now delivering improvements. Chief executive David Carter said that "since last summer's inspection we have strengthened staffing and senior clinical oversight, expanded staff development and wellbeing support". The inspections were carried out last summer by the CQC following improvements it had told them to make."
""We were deeply concerned that improvements in maternity services were happening too slowly, with little change since our previous inspection." She said the "triage service was frequently understaffed" and at Bedford around a quarter of calls went unanswered or abandoned by the caller due to wait times. At Luton and Dunstable Hospital, women experienced delays to elective caesarean sections, as well as induction of labour."
Maternity services at Bedford Hospital and Luton and Dunstable Hospital underwent unannounced CQC inspections in June and July. The inspections found only minimal improvements and continued breaches of regulations relating to staffing and safe care and treatment. Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust apologised for shortcomings and reported delivering improvements, with the chief executive saying staffing and senior clinical oversight had been strengthened and staff development and wellbeing support expanded. Follow-up inspections in September again rated both hospitals inadequate overall. Inspectors reported triage services frequently understaffed, around a quarter of Bedford calls unanswered or abandoned, delays to elective caesarean sections and inductions at Luton, and frequent diversions due to staffing shortages.
Read at www.bbc.com
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