CQC national maternity survey results released

Women and birthing people giving birth at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) in 2024 have had their say on the care they received.

The Care Quality Commission's (CQC) Maternity Survey 2024, published on Thursday 28 November, reported that OUH's results were 'better' or 'somewhat better' than most Trusts for three questions.

One result was ranked 'somewhat worse' than other Trusts, while the remaining 31 were rated as 'about the same'.

The healthcare regulator's survey, carried out across 120 Trusts in England, is designed to build an understanding of the risk and quality of maternity services and care.

A total of 273 women who gave birth using OUH services in January and February 2024 provided feedback across four sections: antenatal care; labour and birth; postnatal care; and complaints.

Service users' experience was best in the antenatal care section, with respondents saying they were given good mental health support, they were provided the right information to help decide where to have their baby, and they were given information about the warning signs to look out for during pregnancy.

Areas of improvement include providing better support to service users at a time when they are worried, and clearer communication on the associated risks with inductions.

Yvonne Christley, Chief Nursing Officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The CQC's Maternity Survey is a key source of feedback from the people using our services and helps give us greater focus for our improvement work.

"We know there are areas where we need to improve, and an action plan based on these results has already started. This aligns with our comprehensive work, in collaboration with staff, service users, and stakeholders, to improve our services through our Maternity Development Programme.

"We are pleased that some areas of good work were identified in the survey, particularly around antenatal care, and I am thankful to my Maternity colleagues for their continued hard work and commitment to women and birthing people.

"Thank you to all those who took the time to complete the survey and share their experiences – both positive and negative – with us."

Milica Redfearn, Director of Midwifery at OUH, said: "We will continue to strive for excellence and address any areas where we can further enhance the care we provide to our service users and their families. Their input is invaluable as we work together to ensure the best possible experience for all who rely on our services."

The CQC's Trust-level reports, including comparisons against other Trusts, can be found on the CQC website.

More than 7,500 babies are born in Oxfordshire every year. Women giving birth at OUH have six locations to give birth, in addition to home births, including the Delivery Suite at the John Radcliffe Hospital and five Midwifery-led Units (MLUs) across the county.