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A second hospital in Norfolk has opened in less than a week and has been hailed as improving maternity services after years of struggle.
Healthcare Quality Commission inspectors have upgraded the maternity rating of Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn to ‘good’ following an inspection last autumn.
Inspectors said during their visit there had been a “significant improvement in service culture”, which had previously been given the second-lowest rating.
The department was praised for providing a “positive experience” for new families
However, the ministry is said to still need to take steps to improve the safety of women and children in its custody.
“The service had an open culture where people could raise concerns without fear and be heard,” the report said.
However, inspectors expressed concern that not all staff on the ward had received up-to-date training and that “optimal staffing is not always available”.
Esther Doken, head of midwifery at QEH, said: “CQC inspectors have brought about such a significant change to the culture of our service, a positive change that will make a huge difference to the compassionate care our patients receive. I’m very happy to have discovered this.”
“I am extremely proud of the team here who have worked exceptionally hard to raise standards.
“We have already implemented changes to ensure areas of poor performance achieve the standards that our staff and patients expect without exception.”
The inspection, carried out in October, was part of a national initiative by CQC inspectors to provide more up-to-date information on the quality of maternity care across the country.
The announcement comes a week after Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital also had its maternity rating upgraded by the medical watchdog.
Both hospitals continue to be rated as requiring improvement overall, but improvements to maternity services have been welcomed by local NHS chiefs.
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