CQC’s response to the Bliss report

Published: 19 October 2015 Page last updated: 12 May 2022
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Bliss – the charity for premature and sick babies – has today published its report Hanging in the balance about the impact that staffing has in neonatal units.

Some of the findings match what we have found during our inspections, and further detail was given in last week’s State of Care report.

Commenting on the report, Professor Edward Baker, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals at the Care Quality Commission, said: “We welcome this report from Bliss. It is right to highlight the problems that staffing can have on the quality of neonatal care, and this echoes what we found on some of our inspections. Where we have found concerns we have told trusts to make improvements.

 “Staffing in particular was a key part of our recent State of Care report.  We expect trusts to look at staffing in a sophisticated way focused on the quality of care, patient safety and efficiency, rather than just crude numbers and ratios of one group of staff.

“We are currently looking at quality of neonatal care as part of a national review to see how trusts care for new born infants with deteriorating health; particularly how successful services are at working together. We expect to publish our findings next spring.”

More details about our neonatal review that we’re currently undertaking is available.