CQC publishes report on our maternity services

Maternity services at Epsom and St Helier hospitals have been given a new CQC rating.

While the Trust’s overall CQC rating is unchanged and remains ‘Good’ overall, the rating for maternity services at both hospitals has been lowered from ‘Good’ to ‘Requires Improvement.’

You can read the report here.

The Trust has already made a number of changes since the inspection in August 2023, including:

Ensuring 90% of women are now triaged within 15 minutes of arrival to improve risk assessments, with a new dedicated helpline for women to talk directly with midwives;
Fast-tracking estates work with new doors and blinds fitted to improve privacy and dignity; 
Strengthening oversight to ensure mandatory training and care records are kept consistently up to date.

The new rating is partly a reflection of the hospital’s ageing estate, which is no longer fit for purpose, which is why the Trust is pleased the Government has promised a new hospital and upgrades to our existing facilities by 2030.  

The Trust is also investing more than £2m over two years to increase staffing levels in the unit by 8%.

The recent CQC maternity survey (published 9 February 2024), scored Epsom and St Helier as number one in London for the care they give mums and birthing people. The survey found improvements in many areas, including women having a higher level of trust and confidence in the staff caring for them, and partners being able to stay overnight.

The Trusts welcomes the views of people who use its services to continuously improve care. Anyone families with any concerns about the findings of this CQC inspection should get in touch with their midwife in the first instance.