Source · CQC inspection
The Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury
Provider Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Type NHS Healthcare Organisation
Region South East
Last inspected 2 Apr 2025
Overall rating: Requires Improvement View full CQC report
Domain ratings
Safe
Requires Improvement
Effective
Requires Improvement
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
Maternity
Good
Regulatory breaches & enforcement
Warning notice
Overall
We found that the service has made improvements and had met the actions of the warning notice.
Warning notice
Overall
We assessed service assessment group maternity at this location, to review the progress made against the warning notice that we served on the provider following the inspection in August 2023.
Warning notice
Overall
Following this assessment, we found the warning notice had been met and maternity was rated good overall.
Warning notice
Overall
We last assessed maternity services at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Pembury in 2023, and it was rated to inadequate, and we served a warning notice.
Breaches identified (3)
Breach
Safe
At this assessment we identified a breach of regulation: 12 Safe Care and Treatment.
Breach
Overall
We found a breach of regulation in relation to: timely reviews of high risk women and birthing people on the wards who were waiting for their labour to be induced.
Breach
Safe
We found 1 new breach of the legal regulation safe care and treatment under the key question safe.
Earlier inspection findings
Must-do actions (6)
Must-do action 1 of 6
Must do
Safe
The service must ensure clinical observations, screening and testing are carried out in a timely way, reviewed, and any deterioration escalated.
Must-do action 2 of 6
Must do
Safe
The service must ensure staff complete all mandatory training, including safeguarding training as well as role specific training modules such as CTG training and are competent in carrying out CTGs.
Must-do action 3 of 6
Must do
Safe
The service must ensure that staff have carried out daily safety checks of emergency and specialist equipment.
Must-do action 4 of 6
Must do
Well-led
The service must ensure systems and processes for maternity triage are reviewed to deliver a safe service in line with national guidance.
Must-do action 5 of 6
Must do
Well-led
The service must ensure there are effective governance systems and processes to identify and manage incidents, risks, issues and performance and to monitor progress through completion of audits, action plans and oversight of improvements and reduce the recurrence of incidents and harm.
Must-do action 6 of 6
Must do
Safe
The service must ensure there are sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced midwives to provide safe care and treatment across the service and reduce delays in provision of safe care to reduce the risk of harm for women, birthing people and babies.
Should-do actions (4)
Should-do action 1 of 4
Should do
Well-led
The service should ensure the vision and values relate to the current model of maternity care and all staff understand and apply them to their work.
Should-do action 2 of 4
Should do
Safe
The service should ensure staff complete abduction drills and are confident in the process to follow.
Should-do action 3 of 4
Should do
Safe
The service should ensure all cleaning schedules and checklists are developed and completed to meet the needs of the service.
Should-do action 4 of 4
Should do
Safe
The service should ensure all medicines are stored and managed safely.