Maternity services across Newcastle Hospitals have once again been rated among the best in the country for their care provided to mums and babies.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has today published results of its national maternity survey – with Newcastle Hospitals identified as performing ‘better than expected’, in three key areas – during labour and birth, staff caring for you and care in hospital after the birth.
The annual survey asks women about their experiences of care at the various points of their journey with maternity services – 157 women who gave birth at the RVI responded.
Our maternity teams – who oversee the safe delivery of over 6,500 babies every year – were recognised for communicating with patients clearly, listening to their views and addressing concerns during labour and birth.
Feedback also praised staff for:
- Creating a comfortable atmosphere
- Introducing themselves before treatment or examination
- Not leaving patients alone during a time they were worried
- Patients having confidence in the staff caring for them both during and after giving birth
- Help being readily available after giving birth
In 2019 the CQC rated the Newcastle Hospitals Maternity services outstanding commenting that staff took women’s individual needs in planning the level of support they needed throughout their pregnancy. Staff treated women with kindness, dignity and respect.
Stella Wilson, directorate manager for women’s services said: “We’re delighted to see such wonderful feedback from the National Maternity Survey.
Patient feedback is one of the best ways for us to measure the quality of our maternity services
Stella Wilson, directorate manager for Newcastle's maternity services
“In addition to these fantastic results and through our Maternity Voices Partnership, we actively seek the views of all women across Newcastle who have been in our care.
“This is incredibly important to help us shape the future of our maternity services to meet diverse needs of all of the patients in our care.”
You can read the full report on the Care Quality Commission website:
Care Qualitiy Commission – Maternity survey results published January 2020
