Two Sussex maternity wards "require improvement", watchdog finds
A report's been published into the units at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath and St Richards Hospital in Chichester
Two Sussex maternity wards have been rated as requiring improvement by a watchdog.
A report from the Care Quality Commission found the units at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath and St Richards Hospital in Chichester are falling short in leadership and safety.
The inspection between October and December 2025 raised concerns around women not being seen within 15 minutes of arriving, and medical reviews not happening quickly enough.
Staff "tired and burnt out"
Amanda Williams, CQC deputy director of hospitals, secondary and specialist care for the South-East, added:
"At St Richard’s Hospital, staff were unable to clearly see women waiting in the maternity assessment unit,
"At Princess Royal Hospital, equipment failures regularly forced the maternity operating theatre to close, causing delays to planned caesarean sections and increasing anxiety for women waiting for treatment.
"This sometimes caused women to be moved through public areas affecting their privacy and dignity.
“We were also concerned to hear staff at Princess Royal describe feeling tired and burnt out, with some saying their concerns about staffing weren’t always being listened to.
"Staff have valuable information that can improve women’s care, and leaders should use it to drive improvement." Both hospitals had the "effective, caring and responsive" category re-rated as good.
Trust: "We know there is much more to do"
Gail Byrne, Interim Chief Nurse at University Hospitals Sussex, said:
"We welcome these findings, particularly the positive feedback from women and their loved ones, and the inspectors' recognition of our maternity teams' compassion and dedication to their work.
“We also fully accept their conclusion that further improvement is needed and are committed to addressing these issues urgently.
"Since the inspection, we have increased theatre capacity and staffing levels, strengthened how we collect and monitor key safety information, and reviewed and updated policies and clinical guidance.
"However, we know there is much more to do.
"Listening to women and families, learning from their experiences and acting on what they tell us will remain at the heart of our commitment to providing the safe, compassionate and high-quality care every family deserves.'