Hospital's maternity care now 'far more positive'

St Peter's Hospital was issued an official warning notice after a separate inspection in 2023

Maternity care at a Surrey hospital has "improved significantly" since 2023, a regulator has found.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated maternity services at St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey as "good", two years after saying "urgent action" was required to improve care for women and babies.

Roger James, CQC deputy director of operations in Surrey, said some areas still needed improvement but "overall people's care experiences are now far more positive".

The hospital said it was "delighted" with inspectors' findings and work on further improvements was "already well under way".

According to the CQC report, there was "a good safety culture" at the unit and staff "delivered good care and treatment".

"There was improved governance, risk management and culture," inspectors said.

They found there was "enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development".

Patient feedback had "improved since our previous inspection", the CQC said.

Checks 'not always complete'

According to the report, the service "understood the diverse health and care needs" of patients and translation services had improved since 2023.

However, the service remained in breach of a safe care and treatment regulation as inspectors "found staff checks on emergency equipment were not always complete".

"The labour ward continued to look tired with cracks in the flooring and paint-chipped walls," inspectors said.

Mr James said: "We saw staff morale had been challenged by numerous changes, but leaders recognised this and took steps to support staff wellbeing."

For safety, maternity services remain rated as "requires improvement", which inspectors said means "some aspects of the service were not always safe" and "there was a risk that people could be harmed".

Inspectors rated the service "good" in the effective, caring, responsive and well-led categories.

The inspection took place in March.

Acting chair of Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust John Machin said the inspection result was "a fantastic achievement for the team".

Trust chief executive Louise Stead said further changes were "embedded since the inspection" to strengthen "quality of care and the experience for patients, families and staff".

The hospital's overall CQC rating remains "requires improvement".