A maternity unit previously rated “inadequate” has been praised by inspectors for making “significant improvements” and is now officially rated “good” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The new rating follows an inspection in October, which found the service had successfully addressed a number of serious concerns raised the previous year.
Inspectors highlighted progress in areas such as emergency care, triage processes, caesarean section waiting times, staffing levels, and data monitoring.
The report describes strengthened governance, improved safety culture, and a more personalised approach to care.
Staff were recognised for their kindness, compassion, and ability to work together under pressure, with the service now routinely monitoring care to ensure better outcomes for mothers and babies.
The maternity unit, based at Tunbridge Wells Hospital and run by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, supports more than 5,000 births a year.
Rachel Thomas, director of maternity, said: “None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our maternity colleagues, and the input and engagement of the women and families we care for. I’m looking forward to continuing this work and seeing what we can achieve together.”
Since the inspection, further improvements have been introduced, including a new bed management system to support safer capacity planning, a revised structure for monitoring quality of care, and enhanced antenatal education for parents-to-be.
Miss Sarah Flint, Consultant Obstetrician and Chief of Service, said: “This has been a true team effort involving midwives, consultants, doctors, maternity support workers, admin and support staff. I’d like to personally thank each and every member of our maternity team.”
The report did identify some ongoing challenges, including staffing pressures and delays in reviewing high-risk women awaiting induction, which the trust is actively working to resolve.
Chief nurse Jo Haworth said: “We’re delighted to have been upgraded by not one, but two CQC rating levels within just 14 months. Our focus now is to keep improving and work towards becoming ‘outstanding’.”
