Hospital's maternity service 'has come a long way in a short time'

MATERNITY services at Margate's Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital have had their overall rating upgraded from “inadequate” to “good” following an unannounced inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

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The health watchdog had previously ordered East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT) to improve maternity services at two of its hospitals, the QEQM and the William Harvey in Ashford, and sent its inspectors to both hospitals in December last year.

The trust had been told it needed to take action to ensure significant improvements to safety, leadership, culture, the environment, and staffing lessons, and the CQC inspection found significant improvements had been made at both hospitals.

CQC deputy director of operations in Kent Serena Coleman, said: “When we inspected maternity services at both the William Harvey Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, we found significant improvements and a better quality service for women, people using the service, and their babies.

“Our experience tells us that when a service is not well-led it is difficult for them to provide good care in other areas.

“This turnaround in ratings across both services demonstrates what can be achieved with strong and capable leaders who focus on an inclusive and positive culture.