The Best and Worst Rated NHS Hospitals in England, According to CQC Data

A new study shows that a massive 49% of NHS hospitals in England are currently performing below standard, being rated ‘Requires Improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

That’s according to medical negligence specialists Patient Claim Line, which crunched the numbers to reveal the locations with the worst rated NHS hospitals and the concerns raised by inspectors.

With the NHS being such a crucial focal point for the new government, the Patient Claim Line team decided to analyse NHS hospitals only (not independent/private hospitals). Although it is worth noting, that whenever the Barkantine Birth Centre is referenced in this article, it should be recognised that this is a midwifery-led unit, not a hospital.

Key findings:

• 49% of NHS hospitals in England are performing below standard, being rated ‘Requires Improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’.
• Only 8% of NHS hospitals are rated ‘Outstanding’, which is defined as “performing exceptionally well”.
• 44% of NHS hospitals in England are ‘Good’, which means they are “performing well and meeting expectations”.
• The areas with the most hospitals that failed to meet all required standards by the CQC are London (with 16 hospitals), followed by Manchester and Sheffield (4 hospitals each).

Hospitals are assessed on five core categories: safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. These evaluations determine their overall rating, which can be ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires Improvement’, or ‘Inadequate’. Here’s a look at the number of hospitals that fall into these rating categories:

Where are the worst rated NHS hospitals in England?

The six NHS hospitals in England that are rated ‘Inadequate’

Concerns raised by CQC inspectors at England’s most ‘Inadequate’ hospitals

Inspectors at The Hillingdon Hospital raised concerns including “There was deterioration in infection prevention and control” and they “found inconsistencies in hand hygiene practice amongst staff.” Inspectors also noted that there was “poor recognition of sepsis” and they “were not assured that high-risk patient groups were screened for MRSA at pre-admission”.

On Hull Royal Infirmary’s maternity ward, inspectors noted that “Systems, processes, and risk in the antenatal day unit / triage department were not well managed which led to long delays in women being seen and a chaotic environment which was not fit for purpose”. They also noted that “Staff did not always work well together across the different units and some staff spoke about unkindness between staff.”

Writing about Blackpool Victoria Hospital’s urgent and emergency services unit, inspectors observed that “at times the department felt chaotic and we had concerns about the lack of oversight the leadership team had of the risks”.

The 22 NHS hospitals in England that are rated ‘Outstanding’

Crucial time for the Care Quality Commission

Last month, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said: “When I joined the department, it was already clear that the NHS was broken and the social care system in crisis.” He added, “But I have been stunned by the extent of the failings of the institution that is supposed to identify and act on failings. It’s clear to me the CQC is not fit for purpose.”

The health secretary’s comments follow damning findings of an interim report into the state of the English healthcare regulator, CQC. A senior NHS leader also stated that the health regulator should rethink its one-word ratings system for hospitals following damning criticism of the watchdog.

But critics say that the CQC’s inspections and ratings are reflective of the poor standard of NHS hospitals in England. A full report is due to be published in autumn 2024.

The 152 NHS hospitals in England that are rated ‘Requires Improvement’

NHS leaders have cautioned Labour that additional funding is essential in the October Budget to address a £3 billion deficit in the health service.

Sir Keir Starmer has been warned that without increased financial support for hospitals, NHS waiting lists will keep expanding and standards will slip.

With a new government and a possible reform of England’s independent regulator of health and social care – all eyes are on the future of NHS services.