2025 National Maternity Survey highlights positive steps in service improvement
Gloucestershire Hospitals welcomes the findings of the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) National Maternity survey
The Trust was one of just six services in England to emerge as ‘better than expected’.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) Maternity Services Survey asks women a wide range of questions about their experience of choice, continuity of care and the support they receive in hospital maternity services.
Our maternity services are on an ongoing journey of improvement. Over the past three years we have acted on CQC findings, taken part in the NHS England maternity safety support programme and brought in independent experts to help review and shape our services.
Colleagues across Gloucestershire Hospitals have been working hard to make meaningful changes, so we are pleased to see results that reflect the progress being made.
Headline results
- Our results were about the same as most trusts for 37 questions.
- Our results were somewhat better than most trusts for 10 questions.
- Our results were better than most trusts for 10 questions.
- Our results were much better than most trusts for 1 questions
Our results did not significantly change for the majority of questions but we did see a significant improvement in five areas, these are:
- Were you (and / or your partner or a companion) left alone by midwives or doctors at a time when it worried you?
- During labour and birth, were you able to get a member of staff to help you when you needed it?
- Did you feel that midwives gave you enough support and advice to feed your baby?
- Were you given information about your own physical recovery after the birth?
- In the four weeks after the birth of your baby, did you receive help and advice from a midwife about feeding your baby?
We are particularly proud of the improvements seen in these five areas because they reflect the things that matter most to women and families during pregnancy, birth and the early weeks at home.
Feeling supported, listened to, and able to access help when needed are fundamental to safe and compassionate maternity care.
The progress in staffing responsiveness, emotional reassurance, feeding support and information around recovery shows that our teams are making a real difference at moments when people are most vulnerable.
These results tell us that more women are experiencing the safe and and personalised care we strive to provide every day.
Maternity Services have faced significant pressures this year and the positive comments from those who use our services speak volumes about the dedication of our staff. I am proud of the care provided each day to women and families in Gloucestershire and would like to express my sincere thanks to all involved.
Matt Holdaway, Chief Nurse