Ten things the CQC said must change at Sheffield’s Jessop Wing after 'inadequate' rating

This week it emerged that Sheffield’s Jessop Wing maternity unit has been downgraded from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’ following an unannounced CQC review.
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The main concerns highlighted were in relation to patient safety and the systems in place to ensure this.

The watchdog found that five mothers under the care of Jessop Wing had died since 2019, but only three of these were investigated as ‘serious incidents’.

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It also found that tests on equipment and drills were not carried out often enough, and systems were not in place to ensure staff were able to provide the necessary amount of care patients needed.

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, The Jessop Wing.Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, The Jessop Wing.
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, The Jessop Wing.

A shortage of midwives was highlighted – an issue compounded by demands that mothers now see the same midwife throughout their pregnancy and labour.

And the CQC pointed out that staff did not always complete and update risk assessments. The watchdog said at times mothers were prioritised not based on risk, but on what time they turned up at Jessop Wing.

Here are ten key things that Sheffield Teaching Hospitals must do in response to the report’s findings

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- Ensure systems are put into place so that staffing is actively assessed, reviewed and escalated appropriately to prevent exposing women and babies to the risk of harm.

- Ensure systems are put in place so staff are suitably qualified, skilled and competent to care for and meet the needs of women and babies.

- Ensure effective risk and governance systems are implemented to support safe care.

- Improve monitoring the effectiveness of care and treatment provided to patients.

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- Ensure risk assessments and risk management plans are completed in accordance with national guidance and local trust policy and documented appropriately.

- Correct processes are in place for investigating serious incidents that reduce delays and accuracy of investigations.

- Improve lessons learned and the sharing of lessons learned among the whole team and the wider service.

- Ensure all staff are competent for their roles.

- Improve infection prevention and control.

- Ensure safe systems and processes to prescribe, administer, record and store medicines are in place and applied.

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has stressed that a number of measures have already been implemented to improve the services.

The full report is on the CQC website.