Northampton maternity services improve to ‘good’ after CQC inspection

Maternity services at Northampton General Hospital have improved from requires improvement to good, with inspectors praising stronger leadership, increased staffing and the experiences reported by women using the service.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out an inspection in March as part of its routine monitoring of services. The hospital is run by Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust and provides NHS services to people across Northampton and the surrounding area.

Following the inspection, the maternity service was rated good across all five areas assessed by the regulator. Safety and leadership have both improved from requires improvement to good, while the service was also rated good for being effective, caring and responsive. The overall rating for Northampton General Hospital remains requires improvement.

Inspectors found leaders had made significant changes since the previous inspection, including strengthening management arrangements and making greater use of data and feedback to identify problems and improve services.

Women who spoke to inspectors reported positive experiences of maternity care and described staff as kind, supportive and reassuring. One woman said staff consistently took time to listen to her and helped her feel comfortable throughout her care.

Carolyn Jenkinson, CQC deputy director of hospitals in the West Midlands, said: “When we visited Northampton General Hospital’s maternity service, we found leaders and staff had made real and meaningful improvements since our last inspection. Women told us they felt listened to and cared for, and they described staff as kind, supportive and reassuring throughout their maternity journey.”

One of the most significant changes has been an increase in the hospital’s midwifery workforce. The trust grew its number of full-time equivalent midwifery posts from 144.1 in 2023 to 188.45 in 2026 through a combination of improved staff retention, international recruitment and expanded training routes.

Inspectors also found different professional groups were working effectively together and sharing information during handovers, helping women receive more consistent care as they moved between teams. Almost all staff who spoke to the CQC said they felt valued and supported to raise concerns, while leaders were described as visible and inclusive.

Safeguarding was highlighted as another area of strength, with staff demonstrating a good understanding of their responsibilities and knowing how to quickly escalate concerns involving the safety of women and babies.

The maternity team’s progress has also received national recognition, with the service highly commended in a national award category for most improved unit. The CQC said this reflected work to strengthen leadership and give consultants a greater role in shaping how the service operates.

Inspectors found improvements had also been made to medicines safety. Staff had identified problems within prescribing systems and taken action to address them, reducing the potential risk of medication errors.

However, some challenges remain. Inspectors found some women waited longer than the trust’s own target to be assessed in maternity triage, with delays also identified in other areas of the service. The maternity unit continues to rely on bank workers to maintain safe staffing levels, although the trust has plans in place to address both issues.

Jenkinson said: “Leaders and staff should be proud of the improvements we found at this inspection, and we look forward to seeing their further progress.”

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