Hospital midwives at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford were instructed to work double shifts with no sleep, resulting in them being awake for over 24 hours, according to a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report. The report into Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust highlighted that managers redeployed community staff to fill hospital overnight shifts during busy periods, leading to extended periods without rest.
Staff reported that being awake for more than 24 hours impacted their wellbeing and patient safety. The CQC noted that fatigue can cause mistakes leading to harm. The trust has since stated it will end such shift patterns and ensure compensatory rest for midwives working after midnight.
The CQC rated the overall maternity unit as “good”, up from “requires improvement”, but safety at John Radcliffe was still rated as “requires improvement”. The report comes amid a series of maternity scandals at short-staffed trusts across the country, with a national investigation into NHS maternity care due to report later this month.
Amanda Williams, CQC deputy director, acknowledged improvements but noted that John Radcliffe operates under significant pressure, and safety systems do not always work consistently. Simon Crowther, interim chief executive of the trust, said they take the findings seriously and have begun addressing them.
