Hospitals in Coventry and Rugby have once again found themselves under the spotlight, as the Care Quality Commission (CQC) released its latest inspection report on August 15, 2025. The findings come at a time when the wider National Health Service (NHS) in England is grappling with an unprecedented backlog, with waiting lists soaring to over 7.37 million treatments queued for about 6.23 million patients, according to Newshub. The CQC’s assessment of the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, which oversees both University Hospital Coventry (UHC) and the Hospital of St Cross in Rugby, offers a nuanced picture—one filled with both praise and pressing concerns.
Routine inspections carried out in September and November 2024 set the stage for the CQC’s latest ratings. Medical care and surgery services at University Hospital Coventry were rated ‘good’, maintaining the level achieved during the last inspection in 2019. Surgery at the Hospital of St Cross in Rugby also received a ‘good’ rating, reinforcing the trust’s reputation for delivering solid surgical care. However, not all was rosy: the hospital’s services for children and young people, as well as its urgent and emergency care, saw their ratings slip from ‘good’ to ‘requires improvement’.
Inspectors were quick to highlight the strengths of the trust. According to the CQC, leaders at UHCW were described as “capable, compassionate and inclusive,” with the organization recognized as a leader in innovation and research. The trust’s financial health also came in for praise, with the CQC noting that it had achieved financial balance in its most recent accounts—a rare feat in today’s NHS climate. External auditors echoed these positive sentiments.
Yet, challenges persist. The CQC’s deputy director of operations in the Midlands, Amanda Lyndon, pointed out several areas needing urgent attention. “We found compassionate leaders who led by example and put people at the heart of their decisions. We spoke to many people who had positive experiences of using services,” Lyndon stated in the report. She continued, “Despite finding some breaches in individual services, the strong leadership reassured us that action would be taken to tackle these.”
The report didn’t shy away from the trust’s shortcomings. Inspectors identified issues related to workplace culture and staff wellbeing, and emphasized the need for the board to demonstrate it was learning from past experiences and making sustainable improvements. There was also a call for the trust to better demonstrate the impact of its equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. Notably, the CQC flagged specific concerns about how safe care and treatment were being provided to some children and young people in crisis.
“We observed a strong learning and improvement culture throughout the organisation. Staff in each service reviewed incidents thoroughly and used findings to improve care and support,” Lyndon said. She added, “However, pressures across the healthcare system affected service quality and people’s experiences in urgent and emergency care. We recognise the trust can’t solve all these issues alone. A national increase in people seeking emergency care and insufficient social care provision forces people to remain in hospital beds longer, leading to admission delays from the emergency department. I encourage the local healthcare system to continue working together to identify solutions.”
Patients themselves, as reported by the CQC, generally felt safe and spoke of being treated with kindness and respect. Many shared positive experiences, despite the mounting pressures on the system. “Overall, leaders and staff should be pleased with our well-led assessment and the many positive findings from our service inspections. We identified areas needing improvement and look forward to seeing their continued progress and how plans mature,” Lyndon concluded.
UHCW’s Chief Executive Officer, Professor Andy Hardy, expressed pride in the staff’s achievements. “We are delighted the CQC have recognised the high levels of expertise and compassion amongst our teams,” Hardy said. “Whilst the report contains so many positives, there is always room for improvement and we will continuously strive to enhance all aspects of the trust’s services with our partners across Coventry and Warwickshire. We would like to thank everyone who works for the Trust for the pride they show in delivering the best patient experience possible.”
Hardy also outlined concrete steps to address the areas flagged for improvement. One such initiative is the expansion of the often crowded waiting room at UHC’s Emergency Department, with construction scheduled to begin on Monday, August 18, 2025. The trust has committed to developing action plans to remedy the shortcomings identified by the CQC, particularly in urgent and emergency care and services for children and young people.
The local findings come against the backdrop of a national health crisis. As Newshub reports, the NHS waiting list across England remains at a staggering 7.37 million treatments, with more than 190,000 people waiting over a year for care—1,103 of whom have been waiting for more than 18 months. While the overall waiting list has dropped from its September 2024 peak of 7.77 million, it has still increased by nearly 10,000 since May 2025. The daily reality in emergency departments is equally concerning, with around 1,000 patients waiting at least 12 hours every single day.
Performance metrics continue to lag behind national targets. In July 2025, only 76.4% of A&E patients were seen within four hours, falling short of the 78% goal. Over 35,467 patients waited more than 12 hours to be admitted or discharged last month alone. Cancer care is also under strain: just 67.1% of newly-diagnosed cancer patients were seen within the recommended two months, well below the national target of 85%.
Transparency has become a sticking point in the ongoing debate about NHS performance. A recent report cited by Newshub suggests that some reductions in the waiting list might not be due to improved care, but rather because patients have died, moved abroad, or sought treatment elsewhere. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, for his part, has attributed the drop in the backlog since the last general election to “record investment” and “fundamental NHS reform.” However, experts and think tanks argue that more clarity is needed about the true reasons behind the numbers.
Despite the bleak statistics, there have been glimmers of progress. During a five-day doctors’ strike in July 2025, the NHS managed to deliver 11,071 more appointments and procedures than during the previous strike before the general election. While this uptick is encouraging, experts like Dr. Becks Fisher from the Nuffield Trust caution that the system is still treating fewer patients than are being referred, calling the situation unsustainable. Dr. Nick Murch from the Society for Acute Medicine has also emphasized the urgent need for action to address workforce and capacity issues in urgent and emergency care.
As the NHS faces mounting challenges, the experience of hospitals in Coventry and Rugby serves as a microcosm of the broader healthcare landscape in England. The CQC’s report underscores that while strong leadership and a commitment to innovation are present, systemic pressures and persistent gaps in care remain. The road ahead will require not just local action, but coordinated efforts across the entire health and social care system to ensure timely, safe, and equitable care for all.
For now, the CQC’s full reports can be accessed on their website, offering a detailed look at both the achievements and the hurdles faced by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. As the NHS continues to adapt and respond, the coming months will be critical in determining whether these hospitals—and the wider system—can rise to meet the challenge.
