This week, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced plans to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of key patient safety organisations, including the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The CQC’s maternity inspection programme is one of the areas of work that will feature in a forthcoming review that will explore organisations’ current approaches to patient safety and make urgent recommendations for improvement.
The government announcement comes as a wide-ranging review of the CQC’s operational effectiveness is published today, uncovering significant failings. Dr Penny Dash’s independent report identified poor performance in relation to inspections and a lack of capacity and capability to deliver improvements.
Responding to the announcement, Dr Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:
“We’re pleased to see the government grasping the nettle on an area that has a critical bearing on patient safety and public confidence in healthcare. The system for delivering inspections must be well-resourced and fit for purpose to ensure that good practice is celebrated and actions for improvement are swiftly identified and delivered.
“Today’s announcement will also be welcome news to the many hard-working members of maternity staff who have expressed concerns to us about inspections that they have found complex, stressful or inconsistently applied. We owe it to patients and staff to have a robust and fair inspection regime that drives up standards and builds confidence in maternity services across the country.
“It’s positive that the CQC have accepted these findings, and there are clear opportunities ahead for us all to be united in supporting improvements. Going forward, we’d like to see appropriate clinical input in the review process, including appropriate engagement from members of the multidisciplinary team.”