Neonatal unit in Oxford at the centre of a critical maternity review has now been rated as 'Good'

A neonatal unit in Oxford at the centre of a critical maternity review, has been rated as 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The report, carried out in January, found staff at the John Radcliffe Hospital delivered safe and compassionate care to families - but inspectors did flag improvements still need to be made.

The ‘Good’ rating was marked across all five domains of Safe, Caring, Effective, Responsive, and Well-led.

It comes after the the devastating Amos Review into the ward, which detailed a ‘degree of arrogance’ among leadership - since we revealed more than 600 families claim they were harmed here because of poor care.

This inspection was the first time neonatal services had been assessed separately from maternity and children’s services - part of a new approach designed to put greater focus on neonatal care.

Inspectors praised a family-centred approach which ensured that families were actively involved in care planning and decision-making for their babies. For example staff routinely included families in ward rounds to help improve their understanding of their baby’s condition and proposed treatments.

They also recognised the compassion of staff, which they said was particularly evident where a baby was identified as having life-limiting conditions.

Inspectors saw staff involve families in sensitive discussions about treatment decisions and demonstrate kindness and respect in these situations, ensuring care was individualised and aligned with family wishes.

However, the inspection did find some aspects of care in need of improvement and the CQC has told Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to submit a plan showing what action it is taking in response to these concerns.

• The CQC's Amanda Williams said the assessment of the the unit was really positive

Areas where further improvement is needed relate to the environment on the High Dependency Unit, and management of the records systems.

Amanda Williams, CQC deputy director of hospitals, secondary and specialist care in the South East, said: "At this inspection, we found a neonatal unit where staff were providing safe and compassionate care to families during a vulnerable and stressful time for them.

She added: "Staff were confident identifying and escalating sepsis and perinatal infections, and they had a good understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and how to support women disclosing situations such as domestic abuse.

"However, there were some areas for development. Inspectors found the environment didn’t always meet the needs of babies and families. The neonatal unit was located in what was initially a temporary location but it had been there since 2016 and the layout presented challenges for staff and families.

"For example, the high dependency unit was very cramped, which made it difficult for staff to move around during emergencies and reduced privacy for families.

"Leaders are aware of these concerns and it’s crucial they make faster progress to address them, so the physical environment of the unit supports the compassionate and supportive care staff are providing to babies and their families."

Simon Crowther, the trust's Interim Chief Executive Officer, said: "I would like to thank all colleagues across Neonatal Services at Oxford University Hospitals (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.

"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."

The CQC has also told ITV Meridian it is confident the improvements needed are being actioned.

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