CQC rates surgical services at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn as 'Requires Improvement'

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published the findings of its latest assessment of surgical services at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust, with the service receiving an overall rating of ’Requires Improvement’.

The assessment took place on 17^th – 18^th March 2026 following concerns about emerging safety risks. The report, published on 8^th July 2026, highlights both areas of good practice and issues that the Trust must address to improve patient safety and the quality of care.

What did the CQC find?

Inspectors found that staff were generally kind, compassionate and respectful, with patients reporting they felt involved in decisions about their care. The assessment also highlighted positive practice within operating theatre teams, including good compliance with World Health Organisation (WHO) surgical safety standards and a commitment to delivering evidence-based care.

However, inspectors identified several areas requiring improvement. These included:

• Patient risk assessments were not always completed consistently.
• Incidents were not always reported appropriately.
• Environmental safety concerns, including obstructed fire exits and incorrect oxygen storage.
• Delays in responding to some patients using call bells.
• Unrestricted access to ward areas.
• Incomplete assessments affecting the delivery of care.

As a result of the inspection, the CQC found breaches of regulations relating to safe care and treatment and premises and equipment.

The Trust was also issued with a Warning Notice on 11^th May 2026 relating to failures in safe care and treatment, medicines management, governance, and ensuring patients' privacy and dignity.

What does this mean for patients?

While many patients described positive experiences with caring and compassionate staff, the CQC found that improvements are needed to ensure people consistently receive safe, high-quality care.

The report recognises that the Trust has been working with partners and has introduced improvement initiatives to strengthen services, but says further action is needed to address the concerns identified during the assessment.

We want to hear from you

At Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, we continue to gather feedback from people using health and care services across our area, including those who access services at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn.

Whether your experience has been positive or there are things you think could be improved, your feedback helps us understand what matters most to patients and enables us to share independent evidence with NHS organisations and decision-makers to help drive improvements.

If you or someone you care for has recently used services at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn, we'd like to hear about your experience. Every story helps build a clearer picture of what's working well and where change is needed.