Safe and well-led services were upgraded from requires improvement to good, while effective, caring and responsive were re-rated good. The hospital's overall rating of remained requires improvement.

Carolyn Jenkinson, CQC's deputy director of hospitals in the West Midlands, said: ‘When we visited Northampton General Hospital's maternity service, we found leaders and staff had made real and meaningful improvements since our last inspection. Women told us they felt listened to and cared for, and they described staff as kind, supportive and reassuring throughout their maternity journey.

‘Leaders had gained a much better grip on the service. They'd strengthened their management arrangements and were using data and feedback to drive continuous improvement, rather than just collecting it. Staff felt confident raising concerns and knew leaders would listen, which meant leaders could pick up and deal with problems early instead of letting them grow.'

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire's group director of midwifery, Danni Burnett, said: ‘We have listened carefully to feedback from women, families and staff, and used this to strengthen leadership, improve how we use data and learning, and enhance teamwork across our maternity services. It is particularly encouraging that women told the CQC they felt listened to, supported and cared for throughout their maternity journey.

‘While we are proud of the progress achieved, we remain committed to continual improvement and providing the highest standard of care. We will continue to explore ways to broaden choice and work collaboratively with our communities and partners to shape and develop our services.'