- NHS hospital
Liverpool Women's Hospital
Report from 11 March 2025 assessment
Ratings - Maternity
Our view of the service
The maternity services at Liverpool Women's Hospital include the maternity assessment unit (MAU), a 52 bedded inpatient maternity base (mat base) ward, a midwifery led unit (MLU) and delivery and induction of labour suites. The hospital teams deliver around 8,000 babies each year.
We carried out a focused inspection of maternity services during January and February 2024, as part of the CQC national maternity inspection programme which looked only at the safe and well led questions. Following the inspection, we issued a warning notice requiring the trust to make significant improvements. We also carried out a focused inspection to follow up the warning notice during January 2024. We found the service complied with the requirements of the warning notice issued in February 2023 but identified additional regulatory breaches relating to safe care and treatment (Regulation 12), good governance (Regulation 17) and staffing (Regulation 18).
We commenced a responsive assessment of the maternity services at Liverpool Women's Hospital on 11 March 2025 because we received whistle blower concerns relating to the culture and leadership within the service, and to re-rate the maternity services following an inadequate rating in safe from January 2023.
We carried out an unannounced inspection from 29 April 2025 to 1 May 2025. During the inspection, we spoke with 10 people who used the service and looked at 13 care records. We also spoke with staff, leaders and service partners and looked at policies and other documents relating to the service.
Our overall rating for maternity services improved. We rated it as good.
The service had enough suitably trained staff to care for people and keep them safe. Staff protected people from abuse and managed incidents and medicines well. Staff assessed people's risks and health needs, gained their consent and worked well together as a team. Care and treatment was centred around people who used the service and their needs.
The service had made improvements to processes for managing deteriorating health and staff leadership on the maternity base ward following our previous inspection in January 2024.
Staff treated people with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity and took account of their individual needs and choices.
Most people experienced positive outcomes following their care and treatment and could access the service when they needed it, in a way that promoted equality and protected their rights.
Leaders ran services well. There were clear and effective governance, management and accountability arrangements. Leaders promoted a positive work culture based on equality, diversity and inclusion. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. Leaders engaged well with partners and the community to plan and manage services.
People's experience of this service
People who used the maternity services told us staff assessed their needs, risks and preferences and provided person-centred care and treatment. They understood how to complain about services and raise safeguarding or safety concerns with staff.
People told us the service had enough suitably trained and competent staff and the equipment and premises were clean, tidy and well-maintained.
People told us their care and treatment was coordinated and staff worked well as a team. They told us staff asked for consent and kept them informed about any changes to their care or treatment.
People told us staff treated them with equality and with kindness and respect. They told us staff respected their privacy and dignity and accommodated their needs and preferences. They told us they received care and treatment in a timely manner.