NMC reviews work to improve Guernsey hospital's maternity care

Officials from the Nursing and Midwifery Council are visiting Guernsey’s Princess Elizabeth Hospital to investigate whether progress has been made since serious concerns came to light a year ago.

The regulator found problems in the hospital's maternity service last October. It uncovered issues with midwifery practice and the quality of the supervision of midwives and nursing student practice placements. There was also poor practice in relation to the security and safe storage of maternity records, the NMC said. 

Since then, the regulator has been working with Guernsey’s health and social services department and the supervising authority, NHS England South East and Wessex, to address the problems. 

The NMC team is now assessing the quality of midwifery supervision and the phased return of pre-registration nursing students to their degree programmes and practice placements.

A report of findings will be published later this year.