CQC upgrades maternity services at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital to Good

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has upgraded maternity services at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital from Requires Improvement to Good after finding significant improvements during an unannounced inspection in June.

The hospital, which is run by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, was inspected to assess progress following concerns and breaches of regulation identified at CQC’s previous inspection, published in August 2025. Inspectors found the maternity service had made improvements and was no longer in breach of regulations relating to premises and equipment or the management of the service.

CQC upgraded the service from Requires Improvement to Good for how effective, responsive and well-led it is, while its safety rating improved from Inadequate to Requires Improvement. The caring element was not inspected and therefore retains its previous Good rating, although inspectors observed examples of kind and compassionate care from staff during the latest visit.

Feedback gathered through the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership showed around 99% of women’s experiences were positive. Inspectors also found improvements in communication between staff, with structured handovers and daily multidisciplinary meetings helping teams identify risks earlier and work together more effectively.

Delays in induction of labour had been reduced following the introduction of a new guideline, improving the experience of women who had previously faced lengthy waits. Leaders were also found to have a better understanding of the service, supported by clearer structures and processes and greater use of data and feedback to inform decisions.

CQC highlighted the development of a sepsis grab-bag as an example of staff-led innovation. The initiative has been rolled out across the wider trust. Inspectors also found a positive culture within the midwifery workforce, with staff feeling able to speak up and raise concerns and describing leaders as compassionate, visible and approachable.

However, the service remains in breach of regulations relating to safe care and treatment and staffing, and the trust must provide CQC with an action plan setting out how these concerns will be addressed.

Some women were still waiting too long to be seen, particularly during nights and weekends, and doctors were not always able to review women in triage within recommended timeframes. CQC also found the physical capacity of the unit was not always sufficient to meet high demand and the complexity of some cases, meaning care could not always be delivered in the right place at the right time.

Staffing levels had improved, but a workforce planning review found the service required an additional 43 midwives to safely meet demand. The vacancy rate among maternity care assistants stood at 26%, although a recruitment drive had already significantly reduced the number of midwife vacancies.

Inspectors also identified concerns within the wider medical workforce, with some medical staff reporting a poor culture and a lack of support at times, particularly when dealing with very difficult cases. Training opportunities were another area identified as requiring improvement.

CQC found leaders had established a shared vision and strategy across the maternity service which staff understood and supported, with inspectors reporting that this was having a positive impact on families using the service.

Birmingham Heartlands Hospital does not currently have an overall CQC rating because not every service area has been inspected since University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust took over its operation.

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