NHS Crisis Hits Hundreds of Mothers-to-Be Staff-Strapped Hospitals Turn Away Emergencies

By Kate Foster

SCOTLAND’S maternity hospitals are turning away hundreds of pregnant women in need of emergency treatment because of serious staff shortages, a damning new report by Government auditors has found.

One in six women in need of lifesaving treatment are being forced to endure risky journeys across the country.

The report by the Scottish Government’s health service watchdog NHS Quality Improvement Scotland found more than 100 pregnant women endured “inappropriate” transfers over six months.

A total of 28 women who developed complications in midwife-led units could not be admitted to their nearest major maternity hospital.

A further 86 women who developed complications at major hospitals had to be sent to another unit because of a lack of staffed neonatal cots.

There is a shortage of around 200 specially qualified neonatal nurses in Scotland.

Last night campaigners warned the findings were “extremely concerning” and called for more specially trained nurses.

The Perinatal Collaborative Transport Study examined the case of every woman undergoing an emergency transfer in labour between August 2006 and February 2007 – a total of 599 cases. The study examined all of Scotland’s major maternity hospitals, known as tertiary units, as well as smaller community midwife-led units.

The report’s authors were happy with the way midwife-led units are handling emergencies, by organising transfers to emergency units effectively.

But other aspects of Scotland’s maternity services gave “cause for concern”.

These included the number of days on which each major hospital was unable to accept new admissions. The worst performer was Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, which was unable to accept new cases for 62 per cent of the time. At the Princess Royal Maternity in Glasgow, this occurred 41 per cent of the time.

The Edinburgh Royal Infirmary closed its doors to new admissions 30 per cent of the time, Ninewells in Dundee 27 per cent of the time and Wishaw General 24 per cent of the time. Sometimes this was because all hospital cots were full. However, on other occasions new patients were turned away because of a lack of staff.

As a result, 114 women made journeys elsewhere that were unnecessarily long or should not have taken place at all.

Of the 599 cases studied, 11 babies died, although it is unclear whether their deaths could have been avoided.

Yesterday Dr Charles Skeoch, chair of the report steering group, said: “Transferring a woman between maternity units carries an inherent risk and should only be done when there is a clear clinical need to access more advanced care. In almost all cases, these transfers were done in the right way.”

However, she added: “We found that a lack of staff, rather than any clinical issue, meant they were forced to transfer some women to other tertiary units.”

Critics last night said they were “shocked” at the findings.

Andy Cole, chief executive of baby charity Bliss, said: “It is extremely concerning that the most specialised baby units in Scotland are often unable to accept vital transfers, mainly due to lack of staff.”

Scottish Conservative health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon

said: “This highlights a critical shortage of beds and staff. I am shocked that [Health Secretary] Nicola Sturgeon has not brought forward any statement to Parliament on this issue.”

Public Health Minister Shona Robison said 20 extra specialist nurses had been deployed since the audit. She added: “There has been considerable investment in Scotland’s neonatal unit nursing provision. “

CASE STUDY: PILLAR TO POST

WHEN Camille Craig’s waters broke at just 29 weeks of pregnancy the anxious mother-to-be went straight to her nearest hospital, writes Kate Foster.

But by the time her son was born she had been sent to four different maternity units because of a lack of staffed cots.

Craig, 34, went straight to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary , the nearest hospital to her office, and went into labour prematurely in February 2005.

However, she had to be transferred by ambulance to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow as there were no staffed intensive care cots available in Edinburgh. She spent five days in Glasgow, then was sent home to Livingston and treated as an outpatient at St John’s maternity unit. When her labour intensified, staff eventually found a cot at the Princess Royal in Glasgow.

Her son Samuel is now a healthy three-year-old but his mother admits: “I was in labour in four different hospitals. It was an emotional strain.”

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