Epsom and St Helier maternity unit scored the best in London by mums

Hundreds of mums took part in a CQC survey where maternity staff at Epsom and St Helier were praised for their care of women and babies.

The maternity services at St George’s also scored joint second best in the capital.

The CQC’s report – which was published this morning - showed there had been improvements in a number of areas compared to previous years.

Mums said they had a higher level of trust and confidence in staff caring for them and there was an improvement regarding partners being able to stay and be involved in care. They were also praised for their kindness and compassion.

Both St George’s and Epsom and St Helier also performed better in a number of areas when compared to other trusts in the country – including treating people with dignity and respect during their antenatal appointments.

Jacqueline Totterdell, Group Chief Executive, said:

“We’re so proud of our midwives and the findings demonstrate that people have confidence in our maternity services and put their trust in our staff – which is testament to the professionalism and compassion they show every single day.

“We are making improvements in our care by listening to the lived experiences of women and birthing people, and it’s wonderful to hear so many feel they have been treated with kindness and compassion in our hospitals.”

Arlene Wellman MBE, Group Chief Nursing Officer, added:

“Our incredible staff care passionately about giving mums and babies personalised care and support and take joy in watching families grow. What matters the most to us is that women are noticing the changes we are making. We know improvements are needed in our maternity units and many others across the country following national reviews and CQC inspections, but we are determined to make things better by involving women and their families, and listening to our staff who deliver their care.”

Every year, caring staff deliver about 7,600 babies across the three hospitals.

Just two months ago, ITV’s Loose Women gave a glimpse into the care provided by maternity teams after presenters Nadia Sawalha and Judi Love shadowed staff for the day.

Nadia and Judi met midwives Andrea Cox and Anne Okonkwo to gain personal insight into the job, witnessed a c-section, and spoke to staff about their midwifery careers.