Norwich maternity unit rated as good by health watchdog

The maternity unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is graded as good by health inspectors

A hospital that requires improvement has had its maternity services rated good by inspectors.

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) was inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in November.

It was part of CQC's national maternity services inspection programme to provide an up-to-date view of the quality of hospital maternity care.

Following the inspection, the maternity services rating at NNUH rose from requires improvement to good.

Its rating for being safe and well-led had also improved from requires improvement to good.

"Effective", "caring" and "responsive" categories were not included in this inspection, the CQC said.

The overall rating for NNUH remains at requires improvement.

CQC inspectors said staff at the Norwich maternity unit had made significant improvements

Carolyn Jenkinson, CQC's deputy director of secondary and specialist healthcare, said inspectors had been pleased to find significant improvements in the trust's maternity services.

"We were impressed by the person-centred and open culture leaders had created where people could raise concerns without fear and be listened to," she said.

"Staff were focused on the needs of people receiving care, and we saw them treating people with dignity and respect. They also knew how to keep people safe from harm."

Staff told the government inspection body they felt respected, supported and valued and that they worked in a fair and inclusive environment.

Leaders promoted equality and diversity in their daily work, developing and delivering a mandatory training programme to all staff on ways to identify and reduce health inequalities.

Stephanie Pease, Director of Midwifery at the NNUH, said the rating would help boost staff moral

Stephanie Pease, director of midwifery at the NNUH said the rating would help boost moral and wellbeing of staff.

"If you're a hospital that's in requiring as improvement it's a real challenging time because you're always looking to achieve... so getting a good rating is a really positive accolade and testament to the dedication of our staff," she said.

Georgia Cork and her husband Declan Cork have recently welcomed the arrival of baby Violet at the hospital and Mr Cork says it is great for the midwives to get the "recognition they deserve".

"They are so caring and it does make you feel better, it makes you feel more confident with your birth," said Ms Cork.

'Dedication and hard work'

However, inspectors also found that staff did not always check equipment to ensure it was safe and ready for use.

Nor did they always store medicines safely and record medication refrigeration.

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Trust NHS Trust said since the inspection, the maternity team had reviewed its daily processes for checking equipment, medicines, and refrigeration temperatures.

Stephanie Pease, divisional midwifery director, said: "We are delighted that the CQC has recognised the improvements we have made, which is testament to the dedication and hard work of the whole team to deliver the best possible care to more than 5,000 service users who access care at the NNUH every year.

"We are particularly pleased to have over-recruited into midwifery roles to ensure safe staffing."

The CQC said it would continue to monitor the trust.