Countess of Chester Hospital wins national praise for transforming doctor training in women’s health

The Countess of Chester Hospital has been recognised for making one of the biggest improvements in the country in how it trains and supports early-career doctors working in obstetrics and gynaecology – the teams that care for women during pregnancy, birth, and a wide range of women’s health conditions.

The hospital received a “Highly Commended” award in the Most Improved Hospital category of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ (RCOG) Trainee Evaluation for 2025. This evaluation provides direct feedback from the resident doctors on their training, enabling the RCOG to monitor and improve the quality of training they are receiving.

These doctors, known as resident doctors – the ones you might meet during a maternity appointment, a gynaecology clinic, or on the ward – are asked to rate how well they’re supported, supervised and given opportunities to learn. At the Countess of Chester Hospital, those scores have improved significantly over the past year, showing that the hospital is becoming a better place to train, work and deliver care.

For local families, this recognition means that the doctors caring for them are better supported, better trained, and more confident in delivering safe, personalised care. It’s a sign that the Trust is listening, learning, and making real progress.

This recognition also marks an important step in the Trust’s wider journey to improve women’s health services. And there’s more to come. The Trust is preparing to open a brand-new Women and Children’s Building this summer – a modern, purpose-built space. With more room, natural light, and up-to-date equipment, it’s part of a long-term plan to improve care for women, children and families across Chester and the surrounding area.

Dr Sara Brigham, Associate Medical Director for Women and Children’s Services at the Countess of Chester Hospital, said:

“This recognition is a real milestone for our team. It’s an encouraging sign that our focus on staff development is starting to pay off. We know there’s more to do, but we’re proud of the progress so far. We’re also really excited about our move into the new Women and Children’s Building in September. We know that being in a modern, well-equipped space can make a real difference to how people feel at work and how they learn. It’s a fantastic opportunity to build on the improvements we’ve already made.”

Over the past year, the obstetrics and gynaecology teams have introduced a programme of dedicated training sessions and development opportunities tailored to the needs of resident doctors. Feedback from the resident doctors was used to shape the content. These changes have helped create a more consistent and supportive learning environment, which is now being reflected in national feedback.

The obstetrics team supports around 2,000 patients each year through pregnancy, birth, and postnatal care. The team provides personalised, midwifery-led care in the community, with consultant support for those with more complex needs. Specialist services include pelvic health, perinatal mental health, high-risk obstetrics, foetal medicine, and twin pregnancy care.

The gynaecology team offers outpatient, day-case and surgical care for a wide range of women’s health needs – from early pregnancy assessment and endometriosis to colposcopy and urogynaecology. The team includes highly trained nurses, consultants and sonographers working together to provide safe, compassionate care.

Pictured - Staff from the Women and Children’s Services team pictured in the atrium of the new Women and Children’s Building, opening this September.

Photo Credit: Christopher Boswell.