Women put at ‘unacceptable’ risk by ‘deviating’ service

Pregnant women were put at “unacceptable risk” by a service which was “deviat[ing] from guidelines”, had poor “surgical competency”, and was over-reliant on a single consultant at “significant risk of burnout”.

Independent experts identified an “overuse” of a surgical procedure, a lack of guidance around scans, and risks posed by a single consultant running high-risk perinatal care at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust.

NHS England requested a review of the trust’s fetal medicine service early last year following a spate of rapid reviews raising concerns about ultrasounds and preterm clinical pathways.

HSJ has now obtained a copy of the 2025 report, which was led by Birmingham Women’s Hospital consultant Leo Gurney, via a Freedom of Information request.

It said: “There was evidence of unacceptable patient risk within the preterm birth prevention service, particularly concerning cervical cerclage insertion, with deviations from guidelines and a lack of senior oversight and adherence to multi-disciplinary team processes.”

The review said there appeared to be an “overuse” of cervical stitches – which are meant to be used to prevent premature labour where it is a risk – that could “contribute to high surgical complexity”. Other risks from the procedure include infection or the potential to induce labour.

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Source: HSJ, 10 July 2026