New inspection rates Harrogate NHS Trust 'Good' after year of improvements and progress
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust is celebrating receiving a ‘Good’ overall rating from the CQC after being assesses as ‘outstanding’ in several categories.
The new inspection ratings by the Care Quality Commission follow a year of achievement, improvements and progress in 2025 in which HDFT was awarded £2 million for cutting waiting times for planned care, opened a new acute medical unit for urgent patient care and launched a new digital system to improve patient care.
In terms of CQC ratings for specific services, the report highlights significant improvements, especially in Maternity services, which were upgraded to ’Good’.
Other services adjudged ‘Good’, were Medical care (including older people’s care) and Services for children and young people.
Critical care was rated ‘Outstanding’, as was Outpatients and diagnostic imaging and Surgery.
The latest assessment of HDFT was carried out on 1 May 1, 2025 and involved visits to specific wards and units at Harrogate and District Hospital, including Pannal Ward, the Delivery suite including the Obstetric theatre, Maternity outpatients, Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit and the Maternity assessment centre.
There were also a series of off-site interviews.
In terms of overall ratings for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, it scored ‘Good’ overall and in the following specific categories: Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led.
Under the category Safe, HDFT was rated by the CQC as ‘Requires improvement’.
Harrogate and District Hospital was initially registered with CQC in December 2010.
Previous CQC assessments took place in 2016 and 2022.
More information at: https://www.hdft.nhs.uk/