A report calling maternity services at Chelmsford's Broomfield Hospital 'inadequate' has been published, following an inspection last year.

The maternity service at Broomfield Hospital was downgraded from 'requires improvement' to 'inadequate' after an inspection in March, with the result released this week by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

A follow-up inspection in July found that "some" improvements had been implemented to improve safety, including implementing a telephone triage line and caesarean section waiting room area. The full-report has not yet been published. 

During the initial inspection in March, the CQC raised concerns that not all risk assessments were documented. The CQC report says that the lack of clear processes "placed women, birthing people and babies at risk of harm." 

At the time of assessment, the trust had 124 outstanding maternity action plans that dated back to 2020.

The inspection found that capacity and flow issues impacted on the delivery of care, with triage times cited as an immediate concern.

They also observed incorrect storage of medication and milk products.

The trust subsequently submitted an action plan, setting out the immediate action they would take. 

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Rob Assall, CQC's Director of Operations in the East of England, said: "When we inspected in March, we raised immediate concerns with the trust and demanded they took action to keep mothers and babies safe. 

"We've worked with the trust in the months since our initial inspection and will continue to monitor closely to ensure that improvements are being embedded.

"If we do not find that these improvements are sustained, we will take action to ensure that mothers and babies are getting the high-quality care they deserve."

In spite of concerns, the report does highlight some positives at the maternity service. 

People told CQC that staff were working hard to meet everyone's needs and that people felt they were able to raise concerns to staff and that they'd be dealt with promptly.

The report also noted the accessibility of call bells, with staff encouraging their use to call for assistance.

Matthew Hopkins, Chief Executive of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, told the BBC the trust had made "significant improvements" to the maternity service and had acted on feedback.

The results of the July inspection are expected to be published shortly.

Broomfield Hospital Maternity Unit is a purpose built unit comprising of a Day Assessment Unit (DAU), a consultant-led labour ward, a midwife-led low risk birthing unit and a post-natal ward, as well as outpatient services.

This report was published by the CQC later than usual, with the CQC apologising for the delay saying that a "large-scale transformation programme" meant the report had not been published as quickly as it should have been.

The full report will be published on CQC's website in the next few days.