The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Chelsea and Westminster Hospital's Urgent and Emergency Care service as 'Outstanding' following an inspection in April 2026. The hospital, which serves between 1 million and 1.5 million people across West London, also received 'Good' ratings for its Children and Young People's Services and End of Life care.
Inspection findings highlight exceptional care
Inspectors found that staff treated patients with “kindness, compassion and respect,” particularly focusing on maintaining dignity for vulnerable groups and those with mental health needs. The report states: “People described positive interactions with staff and said they felt cared for throughout their time in the department. Despite the pressures associated with a busy urgent and emergency care environment, staff worked to maintain a positive experience for people using the service.”
The assessment broke down into smaller categories, with 'effectiveness', 'caring', and 'leadership' all rated as 'Outstanding'. The report noted: “The evidence showed an exceptional standard. The service always planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them.”
Leadership and safety culture praised
Antoinette Smith, CQC Deputy Director of Hospitals in London, said: “During our inspection of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital’s urgent and emergency care service, we found an exceptional standard of care. Staff had a strong and open safety culture, learned from incidents and used what they learned to improve the service. Staff treated people and their families with compassion, kindness and respect. They listened carefully, introduced themselves and responded sensitively to people’s needs. Staff also worked well together to provide timely care.”
Smith added: “We also found high-quality care in end of life and children and young people’s services, where staff consistently involved people and their families in decisions about care. Staff worked across teams to deliver joined-up care and adapted services to meet people’s individual needs. It was encouraging to see leaders create a culture where staff felt supported to raise concerns, share learning and improve the quality of care. Leaders had a clear vision for their services and worked closely with partners to improve care for people across North West London.”
Innovations and end of life care
The trust also earned gold standard accreditation for end of life care across several wards. Inspectors noted that 'Butterfly' volunteers provided companionship and emotional support to patients and families receiving end of life care. Additionally, the hospital introduced Martha’s Rule early, giving all North West London hospital sites access to paediatric intensive care expertise for second opinions at no extra cost.
Smith concluded: “The trust also demonstrated a commitment to innovation. Staff introduced new ways of working to improve people’s experience of care and looked for opportunities to strengthen services through learning, collaboration and continuous improvement. Leaders and staff across all three services should be proud of these findings. We will continue to monitor the trust and look forward to seeing these high standards maintained and built upon.”
