NHS staff fail to monitor baby’s heart rate correctly in almost half of cases leading to tragedy
A recent review of maternity care in England has revealed alarming findings regarding the monitoring of a baby’s heart rate during labour. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that in almost half of cases where serious failings resulted in tragedy, NHS staff did not correctly monitor the baby’s heart rate.
In 45 out of 92 cases (49%) where a baby died or suffered serious brain damage during birth in a midwife-led unit, inadequate foetal monitoring was identified as a key issue. Sandy Lewis, the director of the CQC’s maternity and newborn safety investigations program, emphasized the critical importance of correct monitoring to ensure safe care in all maternity units.
The report highlighted four common failings in the 92 births, aiming to help midwives and doctors improve the quality and safety of care. One case revealed ongoing abnormalities in the baby’s heart rate that went unnoticed during monitoring, while in another, midwives were too preoccupied with another emergency to monitor the baby at recommended intervals.
The incidents involved severe brain injuries, stillbirths, and neonatal deaths, prompting calls for increased staffing and resources in maternity units. The Royal College of Midwives and the Commons health select committee have urged the NHS to recruit 2,500 more midwives to address the issue.
The NCT parenting charity expressed concern over the report, citing overworked and understaffed midwives as a contributing factor to dangerous maternity units. Maxine Palmer, the NCT’s head of service development, stressed the importance of one-to-one care during labour and called for consistent standards of care across all birth settings.
The findings serve as a stark reminder of the need for improved monitoring practices and adequate staffing levels to ensure the safety of mothers and babies during childbirth.