Health watchdog inspectors have found surgery services at Stevenage’s Lister Hospital to be inadequate when it comes to being safe and well-led.

The Care Quality Commission has today published a report following its inspection between March and April of services provided by the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust.

Lister’s surgery services have plummeted from good at the last inspection in 2016 to the rock bottom rating of inadequate, with significant failings when it comes to being safe, responsive and well-led.

Services at the New QEII Hospital in Welwyn Garden City have also been deemed inadequate – falling from requires improvement in 2016 – with particular concerns over the Urgent Care Centre when it comes to being safe and well-led.

Inspectors have rated end of life care at the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Middlesex as inadequate in terms of being responsive.

On a positive note, Lister’s urgent and emergency services have improved from inadequate in 2016 to good, and maternity services have risen from requires improvement to good.

When it comes to caring, inspectors rated the NHS trust as good in every service.

The NHS trust has been rated as requires improvement overall – the same as in 2016 – and chief executive Nick Carver said: “The CQC’s findings are a fair assessment.

“The CQC set out the improvements it required to be made – a process that is now well under way.

“There is still plenty to be done, as we implement the action plan agreed with the CQC.

“While committed to making improvements, we must remember there is also a great deal to celebrate with our staff – who work so hard every day to ensure our patients receive high quality care at all times.”