Fewer mums-to-be 'have confidence in NHS maternity staff', according to survey
New figures indicate that fewer women trust NHS maternity staff and struggle to access the care they require. In a Care Quality Commission (CQC) survey of 18,951 individuals who used NHS maternity services in February across England, some improvements were noted, particularly regarding mental health discussions.
However, the data highlighted reduced satisfaction in critical areas, marking a worrying five-year decline.
Compared to previous years' surveys, the 2024 results revealed a drop in those always able to receive help from staff during labour and birth, down to 64% from 72% in 2019. Additionally, communication clarity with staff fell, with 85% understanding them in 2024, compared to 90% in 2019.
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Post-birth, only 60% conversed or saw midwives as needed, a decrease from 63% in 2023.
Antenatal care confidence and trust "definitely" experienced by individuals stood at 70% this year, a slight dip from 71% in 2023. Trust in staff during and after labour similarly declined, with respective figures dropping slightly from 78% to 77%, and from 72% to 69%.
Post-delivery, 25% of new parents felt they lacked opportunities to ask questions. Only 58% were consistently provided with necessary information and explanations in hospital post-birth, a small reduction from 60% in 2023.
Elsewhere, fewer individuals reported always feeling heard by postnatal care staff after leaving the hospital (75% in 2024 compared to 77% in 2023). Additionally, 14% stated that staff did not do everything possible to manage pain during labour and birth.
For the first time, respondents were asked if they were sent home during labour when they were worried about themselves or their baby – with one in 10 stating they were sent home at least once. Almost one in five people (19%) said that if they raised concerns during labour and birth, these concerns were not taken seriously.
Regarding mental health, 76% of people were definitely asked about their mental health during antenatal check-ups, up from 75% who said this in 2023. Most (93%) people also said a midwife asked them about their mental health during their postnatal care, while more reported receiving mental health support as part of their antenatal care.
Most people surveyed (83%) said that their midwives always listened to them, that they were always spoken to in a way they could understand (88%), and they were always treated with respect and dignity (87%). In 2024, more people also reported being given appropriate information on the risks associated with an induced labour prior to being induced (74% in 2024 compared with 69% in 2023).
And 63% said someone else close to them was able to stay as much as they wanted in hospital after the birth, up from 56% in 2023.
Nicola Wise, director of secondary and specialist care at the CQC, said: "We know from our own inspections that there is a variation in quality of maternity services and that further work is needed to ensure high quality of care across the board for all women and their families.
"Increased national action and additional capital investment to support staff to deliver the high-quality care they want to provide for mothers and babies every time should be a priority.
"We hope trusts will reflect on their individual survey results and use them to help identify where they can make changes to ensure positive experiences within maternity care."
England's Chief midwifery officer Kate Brintworth mentioned the importance of mental health support during pregnancy, noting: "Mental health support is vital during pregnancy and it’s encouraging that mothers are saying their experiences in this area have improved, and that many are positive about the way they are treated, listened to, and communicated with by our hardworking NHS maternity teams.
"But we know there is much more to do to ensure all women and babies receive high-quality personalised care and we welcome the findings of this survey, which will help us to build on progress in maternity care, which includes recruiting more than 1,000 additional midwives and rolling out perinatal pelvic health services."
The survey comes alongside NHS England's renewed plea for women to engage in cervical screening after data revealed that over five million women are behind on their tests.
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme for England's 2023-2024 annual report reveals that 68.8% of women aged 25 to 64 were screened within the recommended timeframe, a slight increase from 68.7% the previous year. The report also highlighted that coverage was higher among 50 to 64 year olds at 74.3%, compared to 66.1% for those aged 25 to 49.