Hospital's maternity 'inadequate' as high stillbirth rate in spotlight

Inspectors also found staffing was too low, there were issues with equipment and babies at high risk of being abducted weren't always tagged

By Luke Donnelly

Maternity services at a North London hospital have been rated 'inadequate' in a report that highlights its high stillbirth rate, lack of staff training and failings in safeguarding mums and babies from harm. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found North Middlesex University Hospital, which serves Enfield, Haringey and Waltham Forest, had the highest stillbirth rate in the North Central London region - at 6.82 per 1,000 births in 2022.

Not only is this above the national rate of 4.8 per 1,000 births, it is significantly higher than the rate of 3.71 recorded at the hospital in 2020. Inspectors say during their visit on May 24, the report for which was published on Friday (December 8), staff were not able to tell them what stillbirth rate was, or confirm the plans to reduce these rates.