Maternity care at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) was rated either at or above average in the 2024 Care Quality Commission (CQC) survey.

The national survey, which gathered responses from 18,951 mothers who gave birth in February 2024, examined all aspects of maternity services, including antenatal care, care during labour and birth, and post-natal care.

141 service users responded to the survey based on care they received from UHMBT between April 18 and July 18, 2024.

The trust performed better than average in 17 questions, and similar to the average on the other 42 questions.

Nearly all UHMBT service users who responded to the survey said that they were treated with respect and dignity (96 per cent), had confidence and trust in staff (96 per cent), and felt they were involved in decisions about their care during labour and birth (95 per cent).

98 per cent said they were able to get help when needed after birth, 88 per cent said midwives were aware of their medical history after birth, and 84 per cent said their partner was able to stay with them in hospital as long as they wanted to after the birth.

Susan Foyle, director of midwifery at UHMBT, said: "We’re really pleased that feedback from the people who use our maternity services has highlighted so many positives about the care we provide.

"It is particularly encouraging to see that almost 100 per cent of respondents have confidence and trust in staff, and felt involved in decisions around their care.

"I’m so proud to see that the hard work of our dedicated maternity teams in making sure our families receive the best care and experience is being reflected in the survey results."

Tabetha Darmon, chief nursing officer at UHMBT, said: "The survey results give us lots to celebrate, however we also recognise the areas where we still have work to do, namely around ensuring service users feel involved in their care, providing clear communication and information, managing pain during labour and birth, and treating people with kindness and compassion.

"We want to thank everyone that took part in the survey as your feedback is incredibly important to us, and helps to inform our ongoing improvement work."

The full survey results can be read on the CQC website.