Published on: 15 November 2023
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust’s Chief Executive has welcomed the findings of a report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following a recent inspection of Maternity services.
The independent regulator, which monitors health and social care services in England, visited George Eliot Hospital’s Maternity Department in September 2023 as part of their national maternity inspection programme, looking at if the service was safe and well-led.
Following the inspection, the department maintained their overall ‘good’ rating with the CQC highlighting that “Staff felt respected, supported and valued.” And that the team: “…. were focused on the needs of women and birthing people receiving care.”
Welcoming the report, George Eliot Hospital’s Chief Executive Glen Burley said: “The whole team should be very proud of this result which is recognition of the dedication they have in the care we provide to families across North Warwickshire, North Coventry and West Leicestershire.
“Our Maternity Department is busier than ever with more people choosing to have their babies delivered here; and through teamwork, professionalism, and a supportive, open culture we are offering quality care, with a commitment to enable people and their families to be able to receive the support they need at this special time.
“We will continue to seek ways to further improve our care including remaining committed to identifying and reducing health inequalities in the community.
“Reading this report makes me extremely proud of our entire team”.
The report highlights how the department leadership cares for and supports staff to ensure that they have the skills, knowledge and opportunity to provide safe and effective care for patients, including:
- It was lovely to hear staff were proud to work for the trust and felt valued and respected by managers. We found they were focused on the needs of people receiving care, and we observed them showing people dignity and respect.
- Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff felt respected, supported and valued.
- Staff were focused on the needs of people receiving care, and we observed them showing people dignity and respect.
- Staff understood how to protect women and birthing people from abuse, and managed safety well.
- There was ongoing work around poverty proofing, exploring barriers experienced by women on low incomes in accessing maternity care.
During the inspection, the CQC received positive feedback from service users who told them they were happy with the care and support they had received while using these services.
The CQC praised the open culture of the department where staff felt respected, supported and valued and were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. The service promoted equality and diversity in daily work and provided and encouraged opportunities for career development.
The report gives a balanced overview in the context of the national picture and offers recommendations of further improvement work and ‘should do’s’ which the team are already working on.
The overall rating for George Eliot Hospital and George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust remains rated as requires improvement.
Editors Notes
The full report can be accessed on the CQC website here.
For more information visit www.