Source · CQC inspection
Colchester General Hospital
Provider East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Type NHS Healthcare Organisation
Region East
Last inspected 8 Oct 2025
Overall rating: Requires Improvement View full CQC report
Domain ratings
Safe
Inadequate
Effective
Good
Caring
Good
Responsive
Requires Improvement
Well-led
Requires Improvement
Current CQC assessment
Requires Improvement
The service is not performing as well as it should and we have told the service how it must improve.
Ratings by service
Medical care (Including older people's care)
Requires Improvement
Urgent and emergency services
Requires Improvement
Medical care (Including older people's care)
Requires Improvement
Urgent and emergency services
Requires Improvement
Regulatory breaches & enforcement
Warning notice
Overall
During our assessment, we found concerns which resulted in a breach of regulation in which we served a warning notice.
Warning notice
Overall
During our assessment, we found concerns which resulted in breaches of regulation in which we served a warning notice.
Breaches identified (5)
Breach
Safe
We previously inspected on 3 November 2022 and found 4 breaches of regulations relating to safe care and treatment, premises and equipment, good governance and staffing.
Breach
Safe
In our assessment of medical care (including older people) services we found breaches relating to safe care and treatment, poor compliance with infection, prevention control measures and use of protective personal equipment.
Breach
Safe
We found breaches in regulation relating to consent, safe care and treatment, safeguarding, good governance, and staffing.
Breach
Safe
We previously inspected in 2022 and found 2 breaches of regulations relating to safe care and treatment, staffing and good governance.
Breach
Safe
We found breaches in regulation 12 in relation to safe care and treatment, regulation 15 premises and equipment and regulation 17 good governance.
Earlier inspection findings
Must-do actions (3)
Must-do action 1 of 3
Must do
Safe
The trust must ensure they fully implement a system to assess risks to women attending the triage unit and prioritise their care appropriately.
Must-do action 2 of 3
Must do
Safe
The service must ensure that medical staff complete mandatory and safeguarding training and ensure compliance with the trust target.
Must-do action 3 of 3
Must do
Safe
The service must ensure all steps are taken to appropriately manage and maintain safe staffing in the maternity unit.
Should-do actions (5)
Should-do action 1 of 5
Should do
Safe
The trust should ensure all areas are secure and only authorised personnel have access.
Should-do action 2 of 5
Should do
Safe
The trust should ensure patient and staff records are stored securely to maintain confidentiality and compliance with the trust policy and national legislation.
Should-do action 3 of 5
Should do
Safe
The trust should ensure medicines are managed and stored appropriately, and medicine storage temperatures are monitored and recorded in line with trust requirements.
Should-do action 4 of 5
Should do
Safe
The trust should ensure staff adhere to control measures to protect women, themselves, and others from infection.
Should-do action 5 of 5
Should do
Well-led
The trust should ensure senior leadership is visible and actively work to improve staff morale.