Action is being taken to improve maternity care at Royal Stoke Hospital, bosses have said, after services were downgraded following its latest inspection.

Maternity services went from a good rating to "requires improvement" in the Care Quality Commission's findings, which have recently been published.

Concerns were raised about triage processes and management of delays in labour induction following the March inspection and a warning notice was issued by the CQC. University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust, which runs Royal Stoke, was ordered to make urgent improvements.

The inspection report, presented to the latest UHNM board meeting on Wednesday (July 5), identified six "must do" actions", including ensuring systems were in place to make sure effective triage and escalation processes are in place to reduce risk of patient harm and staff were up to date with training. Two "should do" actions were also identified; ensuring the correct level of harm was reported and reviewed when incidents were reported and reviewing current safeguarding processes in place to ensure staff complete safeguarding risk assessments at every appointment.

Concerns were raised about triage processes and management of delays at Royal Stoke (SWNS).

But there was praise for areas such as infection risk and medicine management, record keeping and the leadership team. And staff "were focused on the needs of women and birthing people and their babies receiving care", the report said.

Chief nurse Ann-Marie Riley said on Wednesday that actions were being "monitored robustly". She added: "We are keeping in close contact with the CQC in terms of Section 29 actions, it's important we deal with this as fast as we can.

"I think it is important to note the report does highlight positive actions. We have more staff than we had when they came and inspected us.

"People are being marked down for things they wouldn't have before, we have a more robust process. The CQC are learning from some very high profile investigations and reports.

Action is now being taken to improve the maternity care provided at Stoke-on-Trent's hospital (LDRS).

"We are disappointed our ratings have changed but I don't think it says we have got worse; we are being measured against a slightly different set of standards. Anything that improves safety for women using maternity services across the country can only be welcomed."

Board chairman David Wakefield said: "19 out of 21 maternity units inspected by the CQC have been downgraded. Were people not aware standards had changed?

"If they have different standards it has got to be a good thing. It's important we meet those new standards."

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