Maternity service rating goes down at troubled NHS trust hospitals
BBC By Andrew Dawkins
BBC News, West Midlands
A trouble-hit trust, accused of having a toxic culture, has had ratings for maternity services at two hospitals downgraded.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) issued a warning notice for the service at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital and rated it inadequate.
The service at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield now "requires improvement".
University Hospitals Birmingham said it had worked to make improvements.
The trust, one of the largest NHS trusts in England, has been heavily criticised with repeated cases of bullying and a toxic environment being revealed in a report by Prof Mike Bewick, published in March.
Following a joint investigation by BBC West Midlands and Newsnight, it was revealed in December whistleblowers at the trust had said a climate of fear among staff was putting patients at risk.
An inspection of maternity services at both hospitals took place in February and the CQC has issued a warning notice to focus the trust's attention "on rapidly making the necessary improvements" at Heartlands.
