By David Williams
2 December 2010
Improvements in maternity services have been patchy in the past three years, and better postnatal care standards are needed, the Care Quality Commission has said.
The commission today published results of the first patient survey of maternity services since 2007, and concluded that women need to be better supported as they adjust to motherhood.
Overall, the picture is positive, with 92% rating their care as ‘good’ or better. There has been an increase in the number of: women being seen first by a midwife, rather than by a GP; being given an appointment before nine weeks; and being offered a choice of birthing location.
The proportion who felt involved in decisions about their care rose to 74%, from 67% in 2007 – while only 4% felt they were not involved at all.
Those reporting that they ‘definitely’ had confidence and trust in the staff has risen from 68% to 73% over the three years.
But 38% were still giving birth lying down – despite guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence discouraging the position unless it is clinically necessary.
During or immediately after birth, 22% were left alone and worried. Although this is lower than the 2007 figure, the CQC says it indicates that maternity units still need to focus on supporting women during and after labour.
The survey also concluded that pregnant women could be better informed about breast-feeding and fewer are being given the information they need about feeding in the first weeks after birth than three years ago.
Around one in five were not satisfied with the information they received about their own recovery, and around the same proportion felt they were not told enough about the emotional changes they would experience.
CQC chief executive Cynthia Bower said: ‘This reported improvement in antenatal care is encouraging – but sadly it is not mirrored in the care provided during labour and birth… there have been few improvements in postnatal care.
‘It is particularly important for trusts to focus their attention on improvements in this area and ensure that handovers to community services and support networks for new parents are managed effectively.’
