TWENTY-FIVE newly recruited midwives are helping maternity services improve across south Essex.

The Mid and South Essex NHS Trust which operates Basildon, Southend and Broomfield hospitals says it now has the lowest number of vacancies in three years.

Last month the Care Quality Commission rated the maternity services at hospitals in Basildon and Southend, as "requires improvement" following an inspection in March 2024.

The commission's report highlighted a lack of foetal monitoring equipment, a lack of hot water in Southend and a lack of clear oversight of the quality of people's care.

In a report to Thurrock's People Overview & Scrutiny committee, which meets on Tuesday (4 March) the Trust said it has been working on a programme of improvement across its maternity services.

Midwifery staffing levels have improved, with 25 newly qualified midwives employed between September and November. The trust is ensuring staff are completing their training and there is more midwifery support to address delays in the birth reflections clinics.

These clinics offer new mums the chance to meet with a midwife, doctor, or healthcare provider to discuss any concerns they may have after giving birth.

The trust says it also now has sufficient levels of foetal monitoring equipment available and audits are consistently completed to ensure quality of care is maintained.

The report to the committee said: "This rating is not where the trust wants to be. While the trust recognises there is still more work to do, it is confident these changes have already improved the maternity services and patient experience.

"The women's and children's division continues to monitor its improvement journey across all three maternity services, and to gain feedback from families who use the service, through the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership and national surveys. The trust uses the feedback provided from reports and surveys as a catalyst for making improvements.

"While the trust recognises improvements are needed, the new CQC inspection framework is such that not every part of each rating domain may be inspected.

"Where they are not inspected, the rating is taken from the previous inspection and is included within the current rating. This means areas that have had positive improvements that are not reviewed and still have their previous rating of 'requires improvement' will have an impact on the new overall rating."

The subject was also broached at Wednesday evening's Thurrock Council full meeting, where Cllr Liz Rigby quizzed health portfolio holder Cllr Mark Hooper about the service at Basildon.

She said: "Following the recent 'requires improvement' CQC rating for Basildon hospital maternity unit where leadership issues, including staff not always raising concerns as leaders did not always reply to them, were one of concerns highlighted; does the portfolio holder for health and wellbeing know what measures are being instigated to improve situation?"

Cllr Hooper responded with a detailed precise of the current situation, much of which is included in the report to be debated on Tuesday.

You can watch the discussion via this link.