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A record number of NHS maternity services are failing to meet safety standards, a report has found.
According to the Care Quality Commission, around 65 per cent of services are considered ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ in terms of safety, compared to 54 per cent last year.
And the number of ambulance services that require safety improvements has doubled in one year – from 30 percent to 60 percent.
A record number of NHS maternity services are failing to meet safety standards, the Care Quality Commission has suggested
The number of ambulance services that require safety improvements has also doubled in one year, from 30 percent to 60 percent.
One in ten is assessed as insufficient, compared to zero last year, according to the healthcare regulator.
The CQC, which has inspected 73 per cent of acute hospital services, said: ‘The overarching picture is that of a service and staff under enormous pressure.’
The report highlights issues including maternity staffing levels below recommended numbers and ‘fragile’ coverage rosters.