HIW Inspection Highlights Compassionate Care at Bridgend Maternity Unit Alongside Areas for Improvement

The inspection took place over two days in August 2025, shortly after the unit reopened following a temporary closure for urgent estate repairs. Inspectors reviewed care across maternity triage, labour ward, antenatal and postnatal areas, obstetric theatres and the higher dependency unit.

Inspectors found that women and birthing people received compassionate, respectful and individualised care. Staff were praised for their kindness and support, and bereavement care was delivered sensitively in dedicated facilities. Health promotion was a significant focus, with multilingual resources and digital inclusion support helping to reduce barriers to accessing information. The unit also introduced an innovative “flight safety card” to empower patients with practical safety advice during their stay.

The inspection identified several areas of good practice, including strong infection control, high compliance with mandatory training, and robust patient maternity records. Governance systems were in place, with QR codes used to give staff easy access to up-to-date policies. Staff were encouraged to engage in wellbeing and quality improvement initiatives, and the digital maternity dashboard was found to include comprehensive data and information for staff to track, monitor and act upon.

However, the inspection also highlighted areas requiring improvement. Some patients reported poor communication from doctors, and delays in postnatal pain relief. Inspectors also found that Welsh language provision requires improvement, and some patients indicated that they did not always feel treated fairly, highlighting the need for consistent application of equality and diversity policies and training.

The unit was working towards full implementation of the Birmingham Symptom-specific Obstetric Triage System (BSOTS), a nationally recognised tool for assessing maternity patients, and further work was needed to complete this. Inspectors also identified gaps in staff training, infrastructure and processes, and recommended that the health board takes action to ensure consistent and safe triage across the unit. 

Staff feedback highlighted concerns about low staffing levels, estates issues that disrupted care delivery, and inadequate materials, supplies and equipment to do their work. Inspectors observed broken equipment during the inspection, including a faulty sluice, a damaged bed awaiting repair, and one labour room out of use due to airflow issues. Some staff reported low morale, describing poor communication with senior management and inconsistent support following incidents. The inspection also identified gaps in Clinical Supervisors for Midwives (CSFMs), who play a key role in supporting staff wellbeing and professional development.

The health board has submitted a detailed improvement plan addressing all identified concerns, including actions to strengthen communication, staffing, training, equality practices and infrastructure.

Alun Jones, Chief Executive of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, said:

“Our inspection found that staff at Princess of Wales Hospital are delivering compassionate and respectful care to women and birthing people. We were encouraged by the commitment to individualised care, health promotion and patient safety. However, we also identified areas that require attention, including communication, staffing levels and infrastructure. We will continue to engage with the health board to ensure improvements are made and sustained.”

August 2025 - Hospital Inspection - Maternity Services – Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend