Royal Sussex Hospital maternity service requires improvement

Although the rating lifts the unit from the lowest ‘inadequate’ bracket, medical negligence lawyers say they remain deeply concerned about the standard of maternity care at Royal Sussex. 

Specific ratings were Safe: requires improvement; Effective: requires improvement; Caring: good; Responsive: good; Well led: requires improvement.

Royal Sussex County Hospital is run by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and had an unannounced inspection of maternity and urgent and emergency services in February 2025, with the CQC report being published 17 December.

The CQC says the assessment was triggered by “information of concern” it received associated with risk within the service.

Inspectors report still finding five breaches in regulations relating to safe care and treatment and governance. 

The CQC report summary states: 

“The breaches related to appropriate management of risks including induction of labour and caesarean section delays, medicines management, safeguarding and the premises at Sussex House. We also found breaches in relation to the governance of the service. The breach was in relation to risks not being addressed in a timely manner, staff access to patient information, assurance through auditing systems, setting of targets and benchmarking processes. Staff could not easily access information in one place on mothers or babies to ensure risks are appropriately managed.” 

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust has been asked to provide an action plan to address the CQC concerns. 

The maternity service at Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH) forms part of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust maternity services which also includes Worthing Hospital, St Richard's Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital.   

Leigh Day solicitor Camilla Browne recently settled a case on behalf of a mother affected by poor care at Princess Royal Hospital. 

Suzanne White, head of medical negligence at law firm Leigh Day said:

"We remain deeply concerned about maternity care at Royal Sussex County Hospital.  In our cases, both here and more widely, we have seen a culture where mothers and their babies are treated with a lack of empathy. Too often, mothers’ voices are ignored, and their concerns are dismissed. This culture is causing avoidable harm to mothers and their babies and it needs to stop.

"Once again, we have to stress that urgent action for improvement is needed."