Hospital's maternity services rating improves

Maternity services at a North Yorkshire hospital have improved, according to the care watchdog.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) previously gave Harrogate District Hospital a "requires improvement" rating after inspectors found a number of failings in 2022.

Following a further inspection in July, maternity services have been given an improved rating of "good".

"We'll continue to monitor the service to ensure existing improvements are embedded and ongoing improvements continue, to ensure women are safe," said Charlotte Rudge, CQC deputy director of hospitals in the North.

The latest inspection was carried out to assess the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust's progress on improvements it was told to make following the previous assessment.

The trust's rating for being safe and effective was amended from "requires improvement" to "good" after the latest inspection, while it received another "good" rating for being well-led, caring and responsive.

Harrogate District Hospital's overall rating remains "good".

"We found improvements had been made since our last visit," said Rudge, who praised the hospital's management and staff for creating a "positive culture where safety and learning were prioritised, and where women and people using the service felt able to speak up".

"Safety incidents were investigated thoroughly, and lessons were learnt and shared with staff to help prevent them from happening again," she added.

"Robust" safeguarding arrangements were also in place with partner organisations to keep women safe, Rudge said.

"Women using the service felt listened to and staff treated them with respect and kindness," she added.

"One person told us they couldn't praise their midwives enough and they felt very peaceful at home due to the support which was available to them."

Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Our maternity team works incredibly hard to provide safe, professional care for those who access these services and I am pleased that this has been recognised by the CQC in their report."

Rudge said inspectors did raise concerns that the hospital did not always have a good overview of how long women had been waiting in its maternity assessment centre.

"This meant some people faced delays in being reviewed by doctors, which could put them at risk of harm," she said.

In response, Coulter said areas for improvement were "welcome".

"It will help us to strengthen our service further, ensure we continue to deliver safe, effective and compassionate care and provide the best possible experience for families across our region."

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