Neonatal services at John Radcliffe Hospital rated ‘good’ by health watchdog
Inspectors praised compassionate care but raised concerns over conditions and record systems
Neonatal services at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital have been rated ‘good’ by the health watchdog, although inspectors have raised concerns about cramped conditions and patient record systems.
The neonatal unit, run by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), provides specialist care for babies from across Oxfordshire and surrounding areas.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the service 'good' across all five areas they assessed – safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
Inspectors praised staff for providing safe and compassionate care and said feedback from families was overwhelmingly positive.
However, they also identified two breaches of regulations, relating to the environment in the unit's high dependency area and the management of patient records.
The CQC said the neonatal unit is in what was originally intended to be a temporary location but has remained there since 2016.
Inspectors described the high dependency unit as “very cramped”, saying this could make it difficult for staff to move around during emergencies and reduced privacy for families.
They also found the service was using three separate record systems and said leaders were not fully aware of the risks this posed.
Neonatal staff were, for example, unable to access antenatal records.
Amanda Williams, CQC deputy director of hospitals, secondary and specialist care in the South East, said: “It was encouraging to see the trust taking a family-centred approach, ensuring families were actively involved in care planning and decision-making for their babies.
“However, there were some areas for development. Inspectors found the environment didn’t always meet the needs of babies and families.”
She added that trust leaders were aware of the concerns, but said it was “crucial they make faster progress to address them”.
Inspectors highlighted a number of areas of good practice, including regular training simulations for staff dealing with complex situations and a discharge outreach team which helps families prepare to care for their babies at home.
The proportion of mothers receiving support to provide breast milk within expected timeframes had also increased from 57% in 2022 to 92% at the time of the inspection in January.
The CQC said staff showed particular compassion when caring for babies with life-limiting conditions, involving families in sensitive discussions about treatment and ensuring their wishes were taken into account.
Simon Crowther, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I would like to thank all colleagues across Neonatal Services at OUH for their contribution to this significant achievement which reflects their dedication to the babies and families in their care.
“The inspection did find some areas for improvement, and we will be submitting a plan to the CQC showing the actions which we are taking in response to these concerns.”
He added: “We take these findings seriously and have already begun work to address them.
“We are committed to ensuring that the physical environment supports the compassionate and supportive care which staff provide to babies and families, and that staff are able to access records when they need them.”