Broomfield Hospital

Ratings - Maternity

• Overall

  Requires improvement

• Safe

  Requires improvement

• Effective

  Requires improvement

• Caring

  Requires improvement

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Requires improvement

Our view of the service

Broomfield Hospital maternity unit provides both consultant-led and midwife-led maternity services as part of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation trust. The obstetric unit at Broomfield Hospital is a purpose-built unit located on the 4th floor of the hospital. The unit comprises of a Day Assessment Unit (DAU), a consultant-led labour ward, a midwife-led low risk birthing unit and a post-natal ward which includes a 4 bedded bay used for the transitional care of babies. Outpatient services include antenatal clinics and an ultrasound department. There is no separate antenatal ward; patients who are seen and/or admitted during the antenatal period are accommodated on the DAU. The consultant-led (high risk) labour ward comprises a 11 bedded delivery suite, 1 berevement room, 2 operating theatres, a 4 bedded recovery area where women are cared for following surgical procedures relating to childbirth, and bereavement suite. Postnatal care is provided on a 20 bedded ward with 8 individual rooms and 3, 4 bedded bays, one of which is used to provide transitional care to babies requiring additional support but not requiring neonatal unit admission. We had carried out an assessment in March 2024 where the service was rated inadequate overall and were placed under conditions of service under Section 31 of the Health and Social Care Act to ensure the trust took immediate action to keep women, birthing people, and babies safe. This follow up assessment took place on 24th and 25th of July 2024 and was focused on the key questions of Safe, Caring, and Well-led. Whilst improvements have been demonstrated they need to be embedded and sustained. Therefore, the conditions remain in place for Broomfield Hospital maternity services.

People's experience of this service

Since our last assessment the trust had allocated a designated waiting area for women and birthing people awaiting elective caesarean section. People felt this area was comfortable and gave them privacy whilst awaiting their procedure. Women, birthing people, and their families told us the facilities available were suitable to meet their needs, however some concerns were raised over the monitoring of people accessing the wards, security checks and safeguarding. This was raised with the trust leaders at time of assessment and action was taken to review the security arrangement and implement a more robust monitoring process. During our follow up assessment, we spoke to women, birthing people, and families on DAU, triage, labour, and postnatal ward. They told us they felt safe using the service and felt staff worked hard to provide good care. They reported feeling supported through their pregnancies, however some felt communication between staff across the departments could be better as they needed to repeat the same information to many healthcare professionals throughout their care pathway. People told us they felt able to raise concerns to maternity staff and felt they were dealt with promptly. Call bells were accessible and answered promptly by staff. Staff were always polite, caring, and compassionate to all using the service. Women and birthing people told us they felt informed about their care, included in decision making and provided with the appropriate maternity information. They told us they were given physical and emotional support during their care