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Inspectors concerned over whether staff can give safe care at maternity ward
Inspectors concerned over whether staff can give safe care at maternity ward
A three-day unannounced inspection took place at the Llifon Ward in Ysbyty Gwynedd, which specialises in antenatal and postnatal care
Patient safety concerns were identified during the inspection at Ysbyty Gwynedd
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Concerns have been raised about whether a maternity unit can offer safe care to its patients. Inspectors said while it had seen improvements since its last inspection of the maternity ward in Ysbyty Gwynedd, inspectors said they were not convinced "all relevant staff had the up-to-date knowledge and skills required to deliver safe care".
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales' had a three-day, unannounced inspection of maternity services at the Llifon Ward in Ysbyty Gwynedd in February 2025. The ward specialises in antenatal and postnatal care.
While it found women and their families were treated with kindness and respect, and that care was delivered in a clean, calm and welcoming environment and examples of good practice, it also identified key areas that "require urgent attention to ensure safe and effective care". For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
It found patient safety concerns identified during the inspection.
The first was about medical handovers and the way staff communicated. Inspectors found the handovers were not consistently effective or clearly documented.
There was concern that without improvement, this could compromise the ability of staff to make safe decisions about care, particularly for women during labour.
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The second issue related to low compliance with mandatory training among obstetric staff - doctors, midwives, and nurses who care for women during pregnancy, childbirth, and after the baby is born.
Inspectors said they were not assured that all relevant staff had the up-to-date knowledge and skills required to deliver safe care and the health board has been told it must take prompt action to ensure training is completed and that appropriate mitigations are put in place to maintain safety in the interim.
The report also found that the process of gaining informed consent, especially for obstetric treatments, needs to be improved.
There was "inconsistent" access to translation services, causing potential communication issues. Inspectors raised concerns about the management of the second obstetric theatre, the effectiveness of the Maternity Outpatient Assessment Unit, and the recording of key decisions during labour.
Inspectors found that recent changes to midwifery leadership had reduced senior staff visibility within the unit.
Staff shared mixed views on leadership engagement and how their concerns were handled. They also raised concerns about the number of out-of-date policies, the need to improve how medical staff are involved in incident reviews and how learning is shared across the team.
They wanted a continued focus on recruitment and retention and for checks all staff receive appropriate induction.
Despite these challenges, the inspection found evidence of committed, professional teams working hard to deliver kind and dignified care under pressure.
Chief executive of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales Alun Jones said: "This inspection highlights the dedication and professionalism of staff in delivering dignified, patient-centred care. It also identifies areas requiring immediate and sustained improvement.
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"We urge the health board to act promptly, and we will continue to work closely with them to ensure progress is made."
