Report attached.

A director of Healthwatch Havering explained that they had received very good cooperation from BHRUT staff and the Trust had developed a detailed action plan in response to Healthwatch’s recommendations re maternity services.

Three visits to maternity at Queen’s Hospital had taken place and Healthwatch agreed that maternity services at BHRUT had improved overall in recent years. Some issues had been identified however included the need to improve cleaning in some parts of the unit and differing IT systems meaning patients’ details having to be input manually into two different systems.

It had also been recommended that the beds on the unit be replaced and BHRUT was aiming to do this by the end of April. Healthwatch had also found that a faster response needed to be given when dealing with women’s pain levels and would revisit the unit to check if this was being done. 

It was clarified that the level 3 Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for Havering was at the Homerton Hospital. Clarification could be provided of the different NICU stages and of maternity services across the area. Healthwatch had also found the temperature on the maternity unit to often be too hot and felt that better fans or air conditioning should be provided.

The Sub-Committee noted the Healthwatch Havering report on maternity services at Queen’s Hospital.