A DEATH is being probed at a “toxic” maternity unit — after a damning report found mums and babies came to harm due to staffing shortages.
An inquiry found patient safety was compromised by “inadequate” support at EdinburghRoyal Infirmary — and upheld or partially upheld 17 safety alerts.
The investigation, sparked by whistleblowers, found some mums were seen by inappropriately qualified staff while midwives felt “professionally compromised” due to stretched resources.
Bosses at NHS Lothian said an “improvement plan” had been put in place.
But it emerged that a mum died at the obstetrics triage and assessment unit in September — months after staff first raised concerns.
Scots Tories’ Lothian MSP Sue Webber called for action to guarantee patient safety.
She said: “This is deeply alarming news.
“Dedicated staff are doing their best but dire workforce planning has left NHS Lothian dangerously understaffed.
“This investigation must be the catalyst for change.
“We must never hear of any new mother, or their newborn baby being harmed ever again.”
Senior nursing staff quizzed 30 current and former employees for the whistleblowing report after an employee raised safety fears in February.
And their investigation exposed claims of “toxic” and “abusive” relationships between management and midwives.
One employee told how bosses downplayed concerns and were seen as “insensitive at best and bullying at worst”.
The report stated: “There is no dispute that there have been safety concerns, near misses and actual adverse outcomes for women and babies.”
And it revealed that one woman in labour left waiting hours for admission telephoned St John’s Hospital in Livingston to ask if there was space on its maternity ward instead.
The probe also found that 17 women were in the unit one night — eight over capacity.
Analysis of rotas showed regular staffing shortages.
Yet investigators found managers incorrectly claimed the unit was well staffed.
The report revealed: “Most midwives said the department was short-staffed on most shifts, with the least experienced staff responsible for ongoing care of a significant number of women at the same time”.
And sickness levels in the unit jumped by 200 per cent in a year, the whistle-blower report found.
Scottish Lib Dems chief Alex Cole-Hamilton blasted the “deeply upsetting” findings.
He added: “It is essential NHS Lothian takes steps to prevent more patients coming to harm.
“The Government must also explain what it is doing to ensure wards are safely staffed.”
NHS Lothian deputy chief executive Jim Crombie said the death in September was being probed by a Significant Adverse Event panel.
He added: “The report will be shared with the family and the service to ensure that all necessary steps are taken.
“We need to wait on the outcome of the SAE and address recommendations from that, as well as continuing to implement actions in relation to the whistleblowing concerns.”