Maternity services at Royal Bournemouth Hospital rated ‘requires improvement’
An inspection has found maternity services at Royal Bournemouth Hospital need to improve, after moving to the new BEACH building
Maternity services at Royal Bournemouth Hospital “require improvement” following an inspection that raised concerns about safety, staffing pressures and leadership oversight in the unit.
The inspection, carried out by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in September, was the first since services moved into the hospital’s new BEACH building in March 2025. The purpose-built facility provides antenatal, triage, birth and postnatal care under one roof.
Inspectors found that while staff were dedicated and compassionate, the service was struggling to manage risks effectively in its new environment.
The categories of “safe” and “well-led” were both downgraded to requires improvement, although “effective”, “caring” and “responsive” were rated good.
Catherine Campbell, CQC deputy director for hospitals in the South West, said: “We found committed staff doing their best in a busy new unit, but leaders didn’t always have a clear understanding of the risks women were facing, or the staffing pressures building up across the service.”
The report highlighted delays in triaging patients, with some women not assessed as quickly as they should be.
Inspectors also found that the maternity advice line was frequently left unstaffed, forcing calls to be redirected and delaying urgent guidance.
Staff shortages and limited theatre capacity were found to be contributing to cancellations of some planned caesarean sections, while delays in the induction of labour process left some women waiting hours or even days, increasing distress.
Concerns were also raised about infrastructure and policy gaps following the move to the new unit.
Inspectors found that a newborn security policy had not been updated and that CCTV cameras in recovery areas compromised patient privacy. Both issues were addressed promptly after being identified.
Despite the shortcomings, the report noted several strengths. Women consistently described staff as kind and supportive, and inspectors observed good teamwork between midwives and doctors.
The service also exceeded national targets for early pregnancy appointments, with 79% of women seen within 10 weeks.
A spokesperson for Royal Bournemouth Hospital said: “We made immediate improvements following the CQC visit, including updating our security policy.
“Our Maternity Team has been continuing to identify better ways of working in our new building to ensure we provide safe and timely care.
“We are pleased that our service is rated as good for being effective, caring and responsive. Families reported that our colleagues treated them with kindness and compassion.
“The CQC found that parents felt involved in decisions and enjoyed the privacy of their own rooms, with partners now able to stay which was not always possible at Poole Hospital.”
The maternity unit, run by University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, will remain under close review, with the CQC requiring improvements and planning a follow-up inspection to assess progress.