The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Urgent and Emergency Care at the Aintree University Hospital as Good. This is an improvement from the service’s previous rating of Inadequate.
This Good rating follows an inspection which took place in December 2024 – inspectors rated the service Good for being safe, effective, caring and well led, and requires improvement for being responsive to people’s needs.
CQC inspectors highlighted how colleagues assessed patients quickly, kept them well informed on care options and treatment plans, managed medicines safely, worked with partners to establish protocols for safe care, and had created a good learning culture, in which colleagues felt comfortable to raise concerns.
Areas highlighted for improvement included ambulance handover times and discharge.
Peter Turkington, Executive Managing Director of Aintree University Hospital, said: “This report speaks volumes about the dedication and resilience of our teams in delivering high-quality patient care. It’s a significant achievement to improve their rating from Inadequate to Good, particularly following an inspection during a very busy winter, and our teams should be very proud of this.
“I’m pleased the CQC recognised our work with system partners to enhance services and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
“While challenges remain around patient flow in the Emergency Department and timely admissions, we’re working with local authorities and social care providers to speed up safe discharges and improve overall patient experience.”
To read the full report, please visit the CQC website.
This was a focused inspection of Urgent and Emergency Care - the overall rating of the hospital remains Requires Improvement.