Hospital maternity chief 'proud' of survey results

A hospital's head of midwifery said a survey by a health watchdog had shown improvements were being made.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn (QEH) in Norfolk is one of 14 hospital trusts being focused on during a rapid review of maternity services, announced in June.

Meanwhile, the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) annual survey looked at the experiences of women who had used NHS maternity services early in 2025, including 101 mothers who had given birth at the QEH.

Esther Dorken, QEH's head of midwifery, said the survey results made her "incredibly proud of staff".

Women who used the service between February and March 2025 were asked about patient care before, during and after labour.

The results showed the hospital's performance was the same as last year in most areas covered, but "significantly better" in six.

They included improvements in pain management during labour. Women also said they felt their concerns were taken seriously.

But issues were raised with the way expectant mothers' calls to the maternity unit were dealt with.

Mrs Dorken said women who contact the unit need to be reassured and given consistent advice, and that was an area the team was working on.

She said improved facilities for families and birth partners were also mentioned in the survey, which highlighted how they were given "facilities they can use on the unit itself".

"So they're not being asked to go out anywhere, which I know sometimes happens," she said.

The survey results come following a visit to QEH by Baroness Amos and her team, who are leading the independent rapid review of NHS maternity and neonatal services across England.

Amos's interim report stated it was "much worse" nationally than she had anticipated.

When asked about the review, Mrs Dorken said a second visit by the national inquiry team was expected in early 2026 with a report into care due in the spring.

"We were proud to be included in that national review," she said.

"We wanted to show off our services and we have done that."

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.