Source · CQC inspection

Homerton University Hospital

Type NHS Healthcare Organisation Region London Last inspected 14 Sep 2023

Overall rating: Outstanding  View full CQC report

Domain ratings

Five CQC key questions
Safe
Good
Effective
Good
Caring
Good
Responsive
Outstanding
Well-led
Outstanding

Earlier inspection findings

pre-2024 framework · 2 must-do 11 should-do

Must-do actions (2)

Legal requirements based on regulation breaches identified during inspection.

Must-do action 1 of 2
Must do
Safe
The service must ensure sufficient medical staffing is planned for triage to make sure women and birthing people are reviewed within safe time frames.
Regulation: Regulation 12 (1)(2)(c) Safe Care and Treatment
⚠ Records indicated that there was not always enough medical cover during the late afternoon and evening, leading to delays in medical reviews for women and birthing people in triage and the emergency obstetric unit, with only 67% receiving medical review within expected timeframes.
Must-do action 2 of 2
Must do
Safe
The service must ensure medical training compliance, such as obstetric emergency training meets trust targets to ensure the safety of women and birthing people and babies.
Regulation: Regulation 12 (1)(2)(c) Safe Care and Treatment
⚠ The service did not always ensure staff received multi-professional simulated obstetric emergency training, with compliance rates for midwifery at 81%, consultants at 68%, and medical staff at 58%, falling below trust targets.

Should-do actions (11)

Recommended improvements to enhance service quality.

Should-do action 1 of 11
Should do
Well-led
The service should ensure that it implements the planned new maternity digital records as planned.
Should-do action 2 of 11
Should do
Caring
The service should ensure that it improves the design and equipment within the bereavement room to reflect national recommendations and is sufficient to providedignity and privacy to bereaved parents.
Should-do action 3 of 11
Should do
Safe
The service should ensure that it continues to monitor and limit the amount of equipment stored in the theatre corridors.
Should-do action 4 of 11
Should do
Safe
The service should ensure that the local continuous electronic fetal monitoring standard operating procedure for using ‘fresheyes’ assurance reflects national guidance of one hour.
Should-do action 5 of 11
Should do
Safe
The service should ensure it continues to improve compliance to recording carbon dioxide monitoring at 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Should-do action 6 of 11
Should do
Safe
The service should ensure that it improves medical cover in triage and the emergency obstetric unit during the night and at weekends to reflect national recommendations.
Should-do action 7 of 11
Should do
Responsive
The service should ensure that it continues to develop and implement a clear telephone triage system so that women and people have 24 hours safe access to the service.
Should-do action 8 of 11
Should do
Safe
Managers should ensure it improves staff compliance to accurately complete the SBAR handover tool.
Should-do action 9 of 11
Should do
Safe
The service should ensure it continues to improve workforce levels within maternity services.
Should-do action 10 of 11
Should do
Caring
The service should improve the quality of interpreting services within the maternity unit and staff should avoid asking family members to interpret.
Should-do action 11 of 11
Should do
Caring
The service should ensure that it continues to monitor care provided by staff on the postnatal ward to make sure women and people are cared for in a safe positive environment.

Location details

CQC ID: RQXM1
Local authority: Hackney
Region: London

Inspection report

Type: Location
Date: 14 September 2023
Rating: Outstanding
Actions: 2 must-do 11 should-do
AI-extracted 3 Jun 2026