Maternity services at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital did not consistently meet the standards of care expected during inspections last summer, hospital bosses have acknowledged, while stressing that women using the service reported largely positive experiences.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was responding to Care Quality Commission reports following inspections at the L&D in June and July 2025. The watchdog said women spoken to during the inspections described “high quality, compassionate and responsive care”, with privacy and dignity respected and staff attentive in monitoring mothers and babies.
However, the trust accepted the CQC’s findings that standards were not met consistently across its maternity services. It has apologised to families and outlined a series of changes already made since the inspections, with a particular focus on staffing, training and facilities at the Lewsey Road site.
Improvements at the hospital include daily senior clinical oversight from Acute Care Oversight consultants and extended hours at the Day Assessment Unit, now open from 7am to 7.30pm. The Trust says staffing and wellbeing initiatives have also been strengthened, alongside additional training around professional behaviours, fetal monitoring and maternity support worker development.
Women giving birth at Luton Hospital are now being cared for in new purpose-built facilities following the move into the Acute Services Block, known as the Cedar and Oak Wings. The trust says these modern spaces are designed to improve safety, privacy and the overall experience for families.
Additional changes aimed at improving safety and communication include new digital pathways and a multi-language online discharge pack, developed with the Maternity Neonatal Voices Partnership.
David Carter, chief executive of Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “As a Trust committed to delivering excellent care, the latest CQC inspection rating for our maternity services was disappointing for us to hear but we remain focused in our effort on ensuring that our maternity services consistently meets the standards of care we aspire to give.
“We are sorry where care has not met the standard our community rightly expects, and our leadership teams will continue to work hard in removing obstacles to allow our maternity colleagues to provide the best care.
“Since last summer’s inspection we have strengthened staffing and senior clinical oversight, expanded staff development and wellbeing support, and opened state-of-the-art maternity facilities in our new Acute Services Block at the L&D.”
Be the first to comment