The Independent Maternity Services Oversight Panel has today published its latest progress report on Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.
The report concludes that:
“Six months on, whilst COVID-19 has undoubtedly had consequences, the Panel believes that the Health Board has done remarkably well in difficult and challenging circumstances to maintain focus and momentum and in doing so has made further incremental progress in delivering against its maternity improvement plans.”
However, despite further progress, the report emphasises that there is still “a significant amount of work to be done to fully deliver against the Royal Colleges’ recommendations and the pursuit of exemplar status remains a longer-term ambition.”
Responding to today’s report, Mari Rosser, Head of Medical Negligence at Hugh James, who acts for some of the families involved said:
“I welcome the fact that, in the interests of patient safety, 53 of the 70 actions recommended have been delivered. Given the pressures of the current COVID-19 crisis, it is even more reassuring that such progress has been made.
“However, the main focus now must be improving the management of complaints and concerns. Having an effective process to manage complaints and concerns is the key to acting quickly when treatment is not being delivered as it should– as has been highlighted in the public health inquiries, such as Mid Staffordshire and Morecambe Bay.”
Stephen Webber has been featured in a BBC article: “Cwm Taf maternity: Calls for police investigation”
