Maternity services at Bath’s Royal United Hospital retain outstanding rating from the CQC

Maternity services at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust are in the top three per cent in England following a recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which saw the team retain its ‘outstanding’ rating.

Following the inspection in November 2023, inspectors found examples of outstanding practice relating to the RUH’s commitment to continuously improving services, patient experience and the supportive environment provided for staff.

The development of a maternity and neonatal communication plan to improve engagement with staff was noted as ‘outstanding practice’, as was our Maternity Development Panel, which supports staff to develop their own projects and ideas to further improve the care we provide for our community.

Zita Martinez, Director of Midwifery at the RUH, said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the outcome of the CQC inspection, it is a true credit to the hard work and commitment of our staff based at the RUH and those in our community birth centres, who go that extra mile every day.

“I was extremely proud to hear the inspection team’s reflection of the positive culture they observed during the visit and how our staff work within and promote a culture of dignity and respect for the people we care for.

“We are already developing action plans that focus on those areas where inspectors felt improvement is needed to ensure we continue to provide women and birthing people with the very best care at all times. This includes further training in adult basic life support and supporting an increased compliance with infection control measures.

“A major refurbishment of our maternity facilities at the RUH site is currently underway, to further improve our families’ experience. This includes the relocation of our Day Assessment Unit alongside the creation of a new fully equipped day room for our families to prepare food and relax away from the bedside.”