Low priority for maternity services blamed for deaths
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《英国医生杂志》
Maternity services at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, where three babies died unexpectedly in the space of two months, had such a low priority among senior management that they have been described as "invisible" by an independent review.
The Healthcare Commission (also called the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection) found that although prenatal mortality at New Cross Hospital was no higher than at hospitals serving similar populations in other parts of the country, two of the deaths might have avoided if problems had been identified sooner and action taken more promptly.
The commission's report blames senior managers at the Birmingham and Black Country Strategic Health Authority for not doing enough to ensure good quality care for women and their babies. "The maternity service has functioned as well as it has under the circumstances due to the dedication and hard work of individual staff," it says.
Altogether there were four serious incidents at the hospital between 27 January and 21 March 2003: the unexpected death of three babies during or shortly after delivery and one delayed caesarean section. But it took two months for the strategic health authority and the primary care trust to be informed about them.
Concern among the public and the primary care trust about the safety and quality of care for pregnant women at the hospital prompted the health authority to request an investigation from the then Commission for Health Improvement.
As well as poor management and leadership the report highlights the lack of teamwork between consultants and between consultants and midwives. Instead of discussing and trying to resolve issues where opinions differed, issues were avoided, says the report.
Altogether the commission made 15 recommendations for maternity services at the hospital, which it will monitor with other organisations.
Health chiefs accepted the recommendations of the report. Mark Hackett, chief executive of Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We are currently working to agree an action plan to implement the Healthcare Commission's recommendations in full. However, we would like to stress that the trust has been striving to improve services ever since these concerns first came to light."(Zosia Kmietowicz)
The Healthcare Commission (also called the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection) found that although prenatal mortality at New Cross Hospital was no higher than at hospitals serving similar populations in other parts of the country, two of the deaths might have avoided if problems had been identified sooner and action taken more promptly.
The commission's report blames senior managers at the Birmingham and Black Country Strategic Health Authority for not doing enough to ensure good quality care for women and their babies. "The maternity service has functioned as well as it has under the circumstances due to the dedication and hard work of individual staff," it says.
Altogether there were four serious incidents at the hospital between 27 January and 21 March 2003: the unexpected death of three babies during or shortly after delivery and one delayed caesarean section. But it took two months for the strategic health authority and the primary care trust to be informed about them.
Concern among the public and the primary care trust about the safety and quality of care for pregnant women at the hospital prompted the health authority to request an investigation from the then Commission for Health Improvement.
As well as poor management and leadership the report highlights the lack of teamwork between consultants and between consultants and midwives. Instead of discussing and trying to resolve issues where opinions differed, issues were avoided, says the report.
Altogether the commission made 15 recommendations for maternity services at the hospital, which it will monitor with other organisations.
Health chiefs accepted the recommendations of the report. Mark Hackett, chief executive of Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We are currently working to agree an action plan to implement the Healthcare Commission's recommendations in full. However, we would like to stress that the trust has been striving to improve services ever since these concerns first came to light."(Zosia Kmietowicz)