Published on: 29 October 2026
Kindness, compassion and respect were all highlighted in a recent CQC inspection of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s perinatal services.
Inspectors looked at whether services were safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led, and rated the service as Good – the eighth Good rating in a row for Trust services.
During the unannounced inspection in September, they spoke to patients and families, staff and managers as well as other stakeholders, and found that the service and its staff provided a safe, therapeutic and personalised environment that promoted recovery and independence.
The report read: “Care was delivered to a high standard by skilled staff using a range of innovative interventions, including psychological therapies, occupational therapy, mother and baby support, and tailored therapeutic activities. Patients were supported to achieve their goals and develop greater independence.
“Patients were treated with kindness, compassion, and respect, with care centred on their individual needs and preferences. Staff promoted dignity, choice, and independence, ensuring patients and their families were involved in decisions about care and treatment.”
The report also found that patients reported feeling listened to, valued, and supported to develop confidence, independence, and self-management skills, with leaders being visible, approachable, and supportive, fostering a positive culture of openness, learning, and continuous improvement.
It added: “Staff felt valued and well supported to deliver high-quality, person-centred care.”
Trust Chief Executive Mark Powell said: “We are delighted that the hard work of our perinatal team has resulted in this Good rating from the CQC.
“I am pleased that people have such positive experiences when they are in our care.
“I am also very proud to have the eighth Good rating in a row for Trust services. Our colleagues at the Trust are totally committed to delivering the highest quality of care possible, and the report reflects this work.”
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s perinatal mental health service consists of The Beeches perinatal inpatient mother and baby unit (MBU), and two perinatal Community Mental Health teams based in Derby and Chesterfield.
Read the latest assessment report for Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - HTML
