One in 10 of CQC’s respondents say they were left alone at a time that worried them during maternity care
Almost one in five women feel their concerns were not taken seriously by healthcare professionals during childbirth, according to the “concerning” results of a national survey of maternity experiences.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) survey of almost 17,000 women who gave birth across England in NHS settings this year found that 15% felt they had not been given relevant advice or support when they contacted a midwife at the start of their labour, while 18% said their concerns had not been taken seriously.
One in 10 of the survey’s respondents reported they had been left alone during their maternity care at a time that worried them, 7% of which was “during the later stages of labour”.
Valerie Amos, who is overseeing a national investigation into maternity care, said women were experiencing “unacceptable” maternity care, including poor communication, a lack of empathy, and in some cases discrimination against women from ethnic minority and working-class backgrounds.
