CQC Maternity Survey 2025 results published

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published the results of its annual survey of experiences of maternity care in England.

A total of 256 women (a 51% response rate) who gave birth using Oxford University Hospitals’ (OUH) services in February 2025 provided feedback as part of the CQC Maternity Survey 2025. They shared their views across six sections: antenatal care; labour and birth; care in the ward after birth; postnatal care; triage; and complaints.

OUH scored consistently with other Trusts, with 55 of the 58 questions being graded as ‘about the same’.

A total of 17 were ranked as nine or higher out of 10. Areas that scored 9.5 or higher included:

• Birth location choices
• Clear communication during antenatal care
• Treated with respect and dignity during antenatal care
• Partner involvement during labour and birth
• Questions about mental health during postnatal care

One question – about warning signs to look out for during pregnancy – was judged as 'better' when compared to other Trusts.

Three questions 'increased significantly' on the 2024 scores, while none 'decreased significantly'. One of those to improve (from 4.1 to 5.7) was about a birthing partner being able to stay with the woman as much as they wanted, and this follows OUH's introduction of a new maternity visiting policy earlier this year.

Overall, where comparisons to 2024 are available, 24 scores improved (including concerns being taken seriously), nine decreased (including pain management during labour and birth) and four stayed the same (including the woman's role in decision making).

The survey highlights two specific areas of improvement in relation to other Trusts: offering enough support and advice on baby feeding, and providing effective information/explanations. The two sections of 'care in the ward after birth' and 'postnatal care – feeding your baby' compared less favourably overall to other Trusts and will remain a focus for improvement.

Yvonne Christley, Chief Nursing Officer at OUH, said: "We welcome the feedback from the CQC Maternity Survey. The findings give us assurance about where we are doing well, and confirms the areas where we need to strengthen our efforts.

"We are pleased to see that our initiatives to improve services over the last year are reflected in satisfaction ratings, such as achieving high scores for ‘respect, dignity, and partner involvement during birth’, as well as greater satisfaction in 'visiting arrangements for birthing partners'.

"However, we recognise there is more to do – particularly around postnatal support and feeding advice, and we will pay close attention to the areas where other Trusts are performing better.

"Work is already underway to make improvements across our maternity services as part of our Perinatal Improvement Programme.

"Listening to service users and families – as well as healthcare staff and community partners – is central to this work. Our upcoming listening event on Friday 12 December is one example of our commitment to involving service users in improvement plans, and will be an important opportunity to hear views and shape changes together.

"Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback so far, via the survey or otherwise. Our aim is to achieve consistently outstanding maternity services, so your input is invaluable in helping us to build on what we do well and to identify opportunities for improvement."

Milica Redfearn, Director of Midwifery at OUH, said: "To enhance the postnatal experience, we have introduced several key improvements focused on comfort, autonomy and family involvement. Birth partners now have 24-hour visiting access, ensuring continuous emotional support for new mothers. Kitchen facilities have been added to provide families with convenient access to refreshments, promoting a more homely and supportive environment.

"Additionally, we have implemented a self-medication policy for certain pain relief options, empowering women to manage their discomfort safely and effectively, in line with individualised care plans and clinical guidance. These changes reflect our ongoing commitment to person-centred care and improving overall experience of our Maternity services."

The survey, carried out across 119 Trusts in England, is designed to build an understanding of the risk and quality of maternity services and care.

You can read the results on the CQC website.