Patient safety high at NNUH maternity unit
High levels of patient safety for mothers and babies at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital's maternity unit have been recognised today under a rigorous national patient safety assessment.
Under the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST), run by the NHS Litigation Authority, all maternity departments are assessed by external inspectors on their patient safety focus.
And the NNUH maternity team has been re-awarded Level 2 accreditation after new and tougher assessments were brought in under CNST. Norwich's maternity unit is the only one in Norfolk or Suffolk to have achieved and maintained Level 2 status.
Head of Midwifery Sue Marshall said: “Our staff work very hard to ensure we maintain high standards of clinical governance and that our patients' safety and well-being is protected as far as possible. The assessment is even tougher than the last one so it's all the more pleasing to have come out with a very good result.”
Clinical director Mr Edward Morris said; “This is excellent news and I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work in achieving this in the face of a tough assessment. I know that we work in a fantastic maternity unit, with risk management firmly embedded in our culture. It was clear that the assessor picked up from talking to staff just how motivated we are to reduce risk to our women and babies.”
The CNST Maternity Standards examine eight core areas:
- Clinical care
- Implementation of clinical risk management
- Organisation
- Learning from experience
- Communication
- Induction, training and competence
- Health records
- Staffing levels