Maternity review of Cwm Taf hospitals to be published

Image copyright
Getty Images

Image caption

The health board’s own review has been looking at 43 cases, including 25 serious incidents

A major independent review is to be published into maternity services at a health board – prompted by concerns about the deaths of a number of babies.

It was ordered by the health minister after it emerged staff shortages may have been responsible for dozens of serious incidents at the Royal Glamorgan and Prince Charles hospitals.

Investigators demanded urgent action following a visit in January.

Cwm Taf health board says planned changes have already eased pressures.

The review – from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology, and the Royal College of Midwives – will be published on Tuesday.

It follows the health board’s own investigation which has been looking at 43 cases, including 25 serious incidents, between January 2016 and last September.

These include four stillbirths and eight neonatal deaths.

Q&A: Cwm Taf maternity problems

Of these serious cases, 20 were at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant and 23 at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil.

But health minister Vaughan Gething ordered the separate independent review, led by the two royal colleges.

It has been looking at governance, compliance with national standards, serious incident reporting and future changes to services.

In January the investigators demanded immediate action – including more cover by senior doctors on the labour wards.

Cwm Taf health board had already been planning changes and since March, specialist neonatal care is now only provided on one site – Prince Charles Hospital. The Royal Glamorgan still has a midwife unit for less complicated births.

The health board was renamed Cwm Taf Morgannwg at the start of April, when it also became responsible for services in the Bridgend area.

Source link