The Health and Social Care Inspectorate (Ivo) has had a government assignment from 2023-2025 to strengthen supervision of maternity care and delivery care, and it is within this framework that the supervision of delivery clinics has been carried out.
This has involved shortcomings in several areas, says Lennart Pettersson, unit manager at Ivo.
This includes, among other things, working methods for pelvic floor ruptures where national guidelines from the National Board of Health and Welfare have not always been followed. It also concerns issues of participation – that patients understand the information.
Acute Situations
Another important point where shortcomings have been identified concerns leadership in acute situations.
How does the team act in acute situations and who takes on the leadership role? We have received reports under the Lex Maria regulations regarding avoidable events where the healthcare provider has identified that communication on the delivery ward is lacking.
During inspections, it has emerged that it is sometimes unclear to staff who is responsible for medical care in acute situations, where multiple professional categories are involved.
All of these are areas where delivery clinics have improved their work. Lennart Pettersson highlights that work on pelvic floor ruptures and follow-up has generally improved throughout the country, and that exercises have been held on communication and leadership.
Ongoing Supervision
Supervision will continue for 15 delivery clinics. Ivo has also initiated an assessment of maternity care and will conduct supervision of home birth midwives. In the autumn, a dialogue meeting will also be held with the regions.
Swedish delivery care is among the best in the world, but there are good opportunities for it to become even better.
