Sussex maternity units keep ‘requires improvement’ rating

The maternity departments at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath and St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester have both been rated requires improvement after inspections by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The inspections took place between October and December 2025. They followed earlier checks on improvements required by the regulator and concerns raised by women, families and external partners about maternity care.

Both services were rated requires improvement overall, as well as for safety and leadership. Their effectiveness, care and responsiveness were each rated good.

Findings at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester

St Richard’s provides community, antenatal and postnatal maternity services for women in and around Chichester.

Inspectors found that staff could not clearly see women waiting in the maternity assessment unit. This could make it harder to identify and respond promptly if someone’s condition deteriorated. Women did not always receive pain relief and other medicines quickly on the postnatal ward, where staffing pressures and delays contributed to longer waits.

The CQC also found that the bereavement suite was not fully separated from activity on the labour ward, meaning families who had lost a baby could still hear sounds from other parts of the unit. Leaders were not tracking induction-of-labour waiting times, and more than 120 low-harm incidents remained open, limiting opportunities to identify patterns and learning.

A previous breach concerning checks on life-saving equipment was partially met because those checks had been resolved. Concerns about the environment and timely assessment remained, while inspectors identified a further breach relating to management of the service.

The hospital also recorded positive findings. Its support for partners during labour and hospital stays scored above the national average, and specialist bereavement midwives supported families for as long as needed, including during future pregnancies.

Findings at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath

Princess Royal Hospital provides community, antenatal and postnatal services for women in and around Haywards Heath and West Sussex.

Equipment failures regularly caused the maternity operating theatre to close. This delayed planned caesarean sections and sometimes meant women were moved through public corridors and lifts when the main theatre was unavailable, affecting privacy and dignity.

Nearly a third of women did not have their first midwife appointment before 10 weeks of pregnancy. The CQC also found limited access to antenatal education, with classes restricted to in-person weekend sessions and limited availability.

Inspectors found that the previous staffing breach remained unresolved. They identified two further breaches relating to safe care and treatment and the management of the service. Required safeguarding training for vulnerable adults had not been completed consistently by midwifery staff.

The hospital was also praised for treating women with kindness and compassion during labour and after birth. Specialist mental health and bereavement midwives were available, while bereavement support for fathers and partners operated across all four maternity sites seven days a week.

Trust must submit an improvement plan

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust must provide the CQC with an action plan setting out how it will address the breaches and improve outcomes at both hospitals.

Amanda Williams, CQC deputy director of hospitals, secondary and specialist care for the South-East, said women and their loved ones consistently described staff as kind, caring and professional. She also said leaders understood where improvements were needed and that the regulator would continue to monitor both services while changes were made.

For patients and families using either maternity department, the current CQC position is that care is rated good for effectiveness, caring and responsiveness, but requires improvement for safety, leadership and overall service quality.

Source: Care Quality Commission News