Maternity services at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton have seen an improved Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating, moving from ‘inadequate’ to ‘requires improvement’, according to a report published on Friday, 4 September.
Catherine Campbell, the CQC’s deputy director of hospitals for Somerset, highlighted positive developments: “When our inspectors visited maternity services at Musgrove Park Hospital, we found a service that had improved since our previous inspection. Women told us staff were compassionate, caring and went above and beyond for them, and that’s clearly something the whole team should be proud of.”
The report details three ongoing improvement projects led by management, targeting initial assessments of women upon arrival and responses to complicated births. Recognition was given to a team member who received a national award from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for exceptional training and support of junior doctors.
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Despite these advances, the report identified continuing issues, including mould, water leakages, and excessively long waits for medical reviews-particularly following Musgrove Park’s increased demand after taking over patients from Yeovil. Campbell noted, “While we saw clear improvements, some important safety concerns remain, which is why we’ve rated the service as requires improvement. A significant part of this picture is the pressure the service has been under since the trust took the decision to temporarily close the Yeovil maternity unit in May 2025.”
The temporary closure of maternity services and the Special Care Baby Unit at Yeovil District Hospital, which reopened in April this year, has transferred considerable demand to Musgrove Park. The report states: “Women were waiting up to ten hours for a medical review in triage and, in some cases, were leaving without a care plan in place because a doctor wasn’t available to update it. That isn’t acceptable, and it’s a risk we’ve asked the trust to address urgently.”
Safeguarding concerns were also raised, including that some women were not routinely asked about domestic violence, despite pregnancy being a high-risk period. Delays and missed referrals were noted, with the trust acknowledged as aware of these issues and beginning to take action.
The condition of the facility remains problematic, with water leaks into clinical areas, mould present on walls and ceilings of the postnatal ward, and insufficient storage resulting in cleaning supplies being stored near public toilets in the waiting area. Campbell stated, “These issues need to be addressed to make sure the environment is safe, clean and suitable for women, babies and staff.”
This has been a point of local controversy, with Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, advocating for the urgent construction of a new maternity ward.
Additional concerns include incomplete medicine records that could compromise safe clinical decision-making and a lack of privacy on the postnatal ward, where women and their babies often remain in shared spaces with multiple beds.
The CQC has shared its findings with the trust and will maintain close monitoring to ensure ongoing improvements and the safety of women and babies.
Professor Deirdre Fowler, chief nurse and midwife for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, responded: “We have done a huge amount of work to improve our maternity services since the CQC inspection in November 2023. Today’s ratings and the CQC’s report for maternity services at Musgrove Park Hospital and the trust’s community midwifery services reflect the improvements we have made and the work that is needed to further improve maternity services across Somerset.”
She thanked women, families, and the Somerset Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership for their collaboration, as well as the trust’s staff for their dedication.
Professor Fowler acknowledged the pressures during the closure of Yeovil services and confirmed that, despite improvements to the Musgrove Park building, it remains outdated and unsuitable for a modern NHS. She stressed the urgent need for replacement facilities.
The trust is committed to continuing improvements, guided by the inspection findings and the 10 Point Plan for maternity and neonatal services following national investigations.
Support is available for current maternity service users through community midwives, the trust’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service, and the Somerset Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership.