Maternity units rated in review

About three quarters of West Midlands maternity units have been described as "best performing" or "better performing" in a national review.

The independent Healthcare Commission review looked at services offered by 148 hospital trusts.

Four units in the region are among 38 described as best performing.

These are University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, Dudley Group of Hospitals, Burton Hospitals and Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals.

'Helping organisations'

Units scored particularly well on safety culture, women being seen early after their first contact with services, choice and continuity in ante-natal care and the post natal care of women and babies.

Chief Executive of NHS West Midlands, Cynthia Bower, said: "Top quality maternity services are rightly expected by our population and have always been a priority for the Strategic Health Authority.

"Our Maternity Matters implementation group is helping organisations to share and adopt best practice across the region."

The review of services in England highlighted large variations in the quality of care.

About 70% of NHS trusts in London were classed as "least well performing", whereas most trusts in the north were ranked fairly high.