York and Scarborough maternity services see 'significant' improvements
Maternity services rated inadequate in parts of Yorkshire have seen "significant improvements" as inspectors raise the grade.
The York and Scarborough Hospital maternity units, which help deliver around 4,000 babies a year, had come under scrutiny from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Now, as the latest inspection results from April are made public, both are rated as good overall, and in all individual areas from care to management and responsiveness.
Gill Hodgson-Reilly, CQC deputy director of operations in the north-east, said teams were pleased to see "significant improvements" across both hospital sites.
"Women and their babies are now getting the quality of care they deserve led by kind and dedicated staff teams," she said.
“Women consistently told us staff were kind, supportive and listened to their concerns, with some describing them as 'real life angels'."
The report, which will be published on CQC's website in the coming days, notes in particular the personalised care that staff delivered.
Leaders at both hospitals have strengthened incident management, inspectors found, with fire risk assessments, better staffing levels and an improved maternity theatre.
Weekly review meetings had been introduced to coordinate elective caesareans, resulting in fewer delays or cancellations.
Community teams were also praised, in support for home births, and with specialist midwives visiting prisons and asylum accommodation.
Ms Hodgson-Reilly said staff felt “empowered” to report safety events, and spoke positively about a strong culture of teamwork.
"They felt proud of how well they all worked together and said there was harmony between doctors and midwives with a clear and visible leadership structure,” she added. “Leaders and staff should be pleased with the positive findings, and we look forward to seeing their continued progress.”