Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust has been rated the top provider of maternity care in England, according to a survey of new parents.
The report ranks maternity care by Gateshead Health’s team as number one across the country. This prestigious recognition, based on the annual Care Quality Commission (CQC) survey, reflects the dedication and compassion of the Trust’s maternity team in providing exceptional care to pregnant people and their families. The CQC survey gathers feedback from thousands of new parents across England, assessing their experiences of care during pregnancy, childbirth and the first few weeks with their newborn.
Gateshead Health achieved outstanding scores in key areas, including:
- Antenatal support: new parents praised the comprehensive information and guidance provided throughout their pregnancy journey. All of the respondents said they were listened to and given enough time for discussions, while 99% said they were given information about the warning signs to look for.
- Labour and birth: respondents commended the supportive and respectful environment created by the maternity team during a crucial and emotional time, with particularly positive comments on how well the staff worked together and patients being able to get the support they needed, when they needed it.
- Postnatal care: Gateshead Health received high marks for its commitment to wellbeing, offering support to mothers and their newborns in the early days and weeks.
- Throughout their whole pregnancy journey from antenatal to labour and birth and through postnatal our patients said they were involved in decisions about their care and reported high levels of respect from and trust in our staff.
Gill Findley, Chief Nurse and Professional Lead for Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals said:
We are absolutely thrilled by this vote of confidence from the families we care for. This incredible achievement is a testament to the tireless efforts of our dedicated midwives, doctors, and support staff, who are all committed to providing compassionate and tailored care to every mother and family we serve.  
I am particularly pleased with the excellent feedback on communication, empathy and empowerment. Almost all of respondents had positive feedback on how our staff respect and empower them throughout their pregnancy, birth and after care. That’s the essence of exceptional maternity care, to make sure that people are supported every step of the way. I am delighted to know from our patients that they think we’re achieving that level of compassionate care for them.
In almost all areas, Gateshead Health has improved on the results from the previous year. People surveyed were especially impressed by the way the maternity staff communicated with and listened to them throughout their pregnancy and birth, with almost all saying that they had complete trust and confidence in the people who supported them.  I am incredibly proud of our staff for delivering such outstanding care.
We work closely with other Trusts and partners across the region and could not achieve what we do without them – with our partners, we share learning and best practice across Trusts to make the North East and North Cumbria a great place to have a baby
In almost all areas, Gateshead Health has improved on the results from the previous year. People surveyed were especially impressed by the way the maternity staff communicated with and listened to them throughout their pregnancy and birth, with almost all saying that they had complete trust and confidence in the people who supported them.
Karen Parker, Head of Midwifery at Gateshead Health, said:
The feedback from new parents is incredibly valuable to us, we listen to people who use our services, to learn from their experience on how we can improve and enhance our care. These results confirm that we are on the right track in delivering high-quality, person-centred maternity services.  
While we’re proud of our achievements, we know that there are areas to improve, and unfortunately due to our estate, there are limits to the number of births we can support. While we try to accommodate everyone who wants to have their baby with us, we can’t always do so. We do however work closely with other units locally and we know that our colleagues across the North East and North Cumbria also strive to provide an exceptional level of care.
We recognise the importance of providing joined-up care and have improved our holistic support to families by working with family hubs to better support our communities. By working closely with partner organisations, we aim to bring care closer to families and meet their unique needs.
Thank you to the women and families who have entrusted us with their care and shared their feedback. We continue to remain committed to providing excellent maternity care for generations to come.
Also, a huge thank you to all of our staff across all specialties for their commitment and compassionate hard work
NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, interim chief nurse and AHP officer, Ann Fox said:
This is fantastic recognition for the Gateshead Health team from the very people they have cared for. The team has worked hard to listen, communicate, and build trust with the women they supported in their pregnancy and birth. They should be proud of the improvements they have made and the care they provide to women and their families at a most precious time.
We will be looking at and sharing the feedback from these surveys across the region so that we can learn together and improve women’s experiences further.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted a maternity survey between 18 April and 18 July 2024 inviting people aged 16 or above who have had a baby. It covers all aspects of maternity provision care with almost 300 people responding for Gateshead Health.
For more on the Trust’s maternity services, visit the maternity services with the full report available at www.cqc.org.uk/maternitysurvey
