Inspectors found that maternity units weren't always staffed with enough knowledgeable and experienced individuals to protect women from avoidable harm.
The Northampton General Hospital (NGH) unit "did not always control infection risk well," according to the care regulator.
However, it noted that staff handled safety incidents well despite the service needing improvement.
In the last 18 months, the hospital claimed to have done "a lot of work.".
According to the report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), "The service did not always have enough maternity staff with the right qualifications, skills, training, and experience to keep women safe from avoidable harm and to provide the right care and treatment.". ".
There was sufficient medical personnel, according to inspectors.
The BBC staff was "overworked and overstressed," according to a woman who used the service.
"They actually appear damaged. There are simply not enough people present, which is not the midwives' fault that they are in this predicament. It's frightful," she said.
Additionally, according to the CQC report, "Measures were not always in place for equipment and control measures to protect women, themselves, and others from infection.
"Ward areas were occasionally dirty, and some of the furniture needed maintenance. ".
Following an inspection in December, the report noted that not all employees had finished safeguarding training and that some of them "did not always fully and accurately completed records in relation to antenatal appointment and birthing plans.".
A number of departmental improvements were required, according to Craig Howarth, deputy director of operations for the CQC in the Midlands. "When we inspected the maternity services at NGH, we observed that staff members were competent and compassionate toward patients.
Despite having more opportunities to voice their opinions, staff members told inspectors that they didn't always feel as though their issues had been heard or taken seriously.
"We observed some promising care areas, too. The staff understood how to keep people safe and protected from abuse, and they collaborated well for the benefit of women, the official continued.
Heidi Smoult, the hospital's CEO, welcomed the CQC report while admitting there was still "more still to do.".
"Over the past 18 months, a lot of work has been done, including strengthening the senior leadership team in the unit, increasing monitoring, and proactive recruitment of maternity support staff, midwives, and international midwives," the woman said.
We have also created and are putting into practice quality improvement plans that address regional and governmental maternity priorities.
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