Yeovil maternity unit poor care investigation
A BBC investigation finds dozens more women reporting poor care at Yeovil maternity unit, with consultants not sufficiently involved.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A BBC investigation has revealed that dozens more women have reported poor care at Yeovil Hospital's maternity unit, with repeated warnings that consultants were not sufficiently involved on the labour ward. The unit was temporarily closed last year over safety concerns and is now part of a government review into maternity care, which is expected to report soon.
The investigation spoke to Heidi, who lost her son Curtis after giving birth at the hospital in 2009. Curtis was born with severe brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen during labour. Heidi said the experience 'turned my life upside down' and left her with severe post-traumatic stress and anxiety. The hospital apologised and admitted mistakes were made.
In 2017, Yeovil asked the Royal College to inspect its maternity care, an unusual step. The inspection praised staff dedication and declared the unit safe, but also found a higher than expected medical intervention rate and said consultants needed to be more actively involved on labour wards. The hospital says it took action, but the issue of consultant visibility was raised again in subsequent years.
Amanda Ford, a former employee, said she quit her job after feeling her concerns were ignored. She described the care as 'appalling' and said there was not enough consultant oversight or ward rounds. The regulator also told the hospital in 2024 that a consultant was not always present when one should have been.
The trust said it is working to ensure consultants are present at peak times and when called in from home, and that it has strengthened clinical leadership by hiring five new consultants and more midwives. The unit remains under review as part of a wider government investigation into maternity services.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Dozens of women reported poor care at Yeovil Hospital's maternity unit. | |
| Yeovil Hospital temporarily closed its maternity unit in 2025 over safety concerns. | |
| Yeovil Hospital was warned several times that consultants needed to be more involved on labour wards. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report is presented as an exclusive investigation by the BBC's health correspondent. It focuses on the personal story of Heidi, the repeated warnings about consultant involvement, and the hospital's response. The tone is investigative and sympathetic to the affected families, while also reporting the trust's actions.
- “the hospital was warned several times that consultants needed to be more involved on labour wards”
- “It's turned my life upside down”
- “We really want to do our best every time to make sure that people have safe and compassionate care”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.