Lynn’s hospital has been selected for an investigation to improve care and safety in maternity units across the country.
The Department of Health and Social Care has announced 14 trusts which will be looked into due to failures in the system – one of which is the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Led by House of Lords member Baroness Amos, it will work with affected and bereaved families to identify areas for improvement.
In a 2024 Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, the QEH’s maternity services had been ranked as ‘good’, a step up from its previous ‘requires improvement’ rating.
Its report said that staff worked well together, managed infection risks well, kept good care records, and had adequate staffing levels.
However, it also highlighted that not all patients were seen within appropriate timelines, not all staff had completed mandatory training modules, and there was a high number of overdue incidents that had not been investigated in a timely way.
Professor Lesley Dwyer, CEO of the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group which includes the QEH, welcomed the investigation and sees it as an opportunity to improve.
“Many families continue to tell us about the safe and compassionate care they receive,” she said.
“However, we also know that there are times when we have not met the high standards we set ourselves, and when that happens, we must apologise, learn and improve.
“Being included in this national investigation is not something we shy away from.
“It is an opportunity to look honestly at what we do well and where we must do better, alongside other hospitals, so that every woman, baby and family receives the best possible care.
“We would like to reassure mothers and families that they should not delay seeking care from our maternity and neonatal teams.
“Our staff are dedicated, skilled and caring, and they are here to support families through pregnancy, birth and beyond.
“We will work openly with Baroness Amos and her team and share learning quickly, so we can accelerate improvements for the women and babies in our care.”
A range of factors were used to determine which hospitals would be looked at.
They included a patient survey, mortality rates, feedback and care for those from diverse backgrounds.
Baroness Amos felt those affected needed to be at the “heart” of the investigation.
“Their experiences – including those of fathers and non-birthing partners – will guide our work and shape the national recommendations we will publish,” she said.
“We will pay particular attention to the inequalities faced by black and Asian women and by families from marginalised groups, whose voices have too often been overlooked.
“Our aims are to ensure the lived experiences of affected families are fully heard, to conduct and publish 14 local investigations of maternity and neonatal services, and to develop recommendations informed by these that will drive improvements across maternity and neonatal services nationwide.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who first announced the investigation back in June as part of his plans to build “an NHS fit for the future”, believed that families have shown “extreme courage” in coming forward.
“What they have experienced is devastating, and their strength will help protect other families from enduring what they have been through,” he said.
“I know that NHS maternity and neonatal workers want the best for these mothers and babies, and that the vast majority of births are safe and without incident, but I cannot turn a blind eye to failures in the system.
“Every single preventable tragedy is one too many. Harmed and bereaved families will be right at the heart of this investigation to ensure no one has to suffer like this again.”
