Morecambe Bay NHS strengthens maternity services, exiting national support programme
Sustained improvements lead to UHMBT leaving intensive national programme
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) has officially exited the national Maternity and Neonatal Intensive Support Team (MatNeoIST) following significant advances in its maternity and neonatal services.
UHMBT entered the national Maternity Safety Support Programme (MSSP) in 2021, after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection which rated its maternity services as 'Inadequate'.
The programme later evolved into MatNeoIST, providing extensive support to maternity services across England.
Following a comprehensive review involving stakeholders like the CQC and the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP), NHS England confirmed that UHMBT had achieved necessary improvements to leave the programme.
The Trust has made monumental progress in leadership, governance, workforce, culture, quality improvement, and patient safety.
Important improvements include achieving a "Good" CQC rating across all maternity sites for the first time since 2019.
They rank fourth nationally for patient experience, reflecting improved care for women and families.
Additionally, maternity workforce vacancies have been cut by 50%, coupled with strengthened staffing and service resilience.
Susan Foyle, Director of Midwifery, UHMBT, highlighted these achievements:
“While we should recognise this achievement, we must never lose sight of the families who experienced harm and loss in the past. Their bravery and experiences have shaped many of the improvements we have made.”
Anna Telfer, Chief Nursing Officer, and Dr Helen Skinner, Chief Medical Officer at UHMBT, also underscored the importance of continuous improvement and collaboration.
The Trust has been implementing recommendations from Baroness Amos’ Independent Investigation, aligned with a local action plan approved by the Trust Board.
This involves strengthening leadership, workforce culture, patient safety systems, and reducing health inequalities.
UHMBT's transformation includes bolstered leadership structures, improved patient information, and enhanced engagement with service users.
All efforts signify a commitment to providing safe, compassionate, and high-quality care to women and their families while focusing on sustainable and lasting improvements.