Guy's and St Thomas' urgent care services retain 'outstanding' and 'good' CQC ratings

June 3, 2026

South London News NHS and Wellbeing Desk Edited By Jimmy Nsubuga

Guy's and St Thomas' urgent care ratings have been maintained following a CQC inspection.

Urgent and Emergency Care Services Retain High Ratings

Urgent and emergency care services at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust have maintained their 'outstanding' and 'good' ratings. This follows an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in March 2026.

Both sites saw their ratings for the 'caring' category upgraded from 'good' to 'outstanding'. This reflects significant progress in patient experience.

St Thomas' and Guy's Services Under Review

St Thomas’ Hospital’s urgent and emergency care services, including its adult emergency department, Evelina London children's emergency department, and an urgent treatment centre, retained its overall 'outstanding' rating. The CQC renewed its 'outstanding' rating for responsiveness and being well-led.

Guy’s Hospital operates an urgent care centre for minor illnesses and injuries. This service was again rated 'good' for being safe, responsive, and well-led. Its 'caring' rating was upgraded to 'outstanding'.

Dr Katherine Henderson, Clinical Director of Adult’s Urgent and Emergency Care at Guy’s and St Thomas’, stated: “We are extremely proud of this latest report and ratings from the CQC. The ratings we have achieved are a testament to the hard work and dedication of all our staff.”

CQC deputy director of hospitals in London, Antoinette Smith, commented: “When we inspected the urgent and emergency care services run by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, we found most people experienced short waits, compassionate care, and positive outcomes.”

Big Picture Context and Future Improvements

The CQC report highlighted that the Trust proactively works to reduce health inequalities. Staff can refer patients to community organisations for support.

However, inspectors noted some patients with mental health needs experienced long waits for transfer to specialist services. The Trust is working with mental health partners to address this. Measures include a crisis assessment unit staffed by mental health professionals.

In England, A&E departments are facing significant pressure. Recent NHS England data heading into 2026 shows that monthly attendances across the country average over 2.1 million patients, with approximately 74% of attendees being seen within the four-hour standard.

OFFICIAL SOURCE VERIFICATION:

This report is based on official clinical data from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust.

Document: Trust’s urgent and emergency care services maintain ‘outstanding’ and ‘good’ ratings from CQC

Source Link: https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/news/trusts-urgent-and-emergency-care-services-maintain-outstanding-and-good-ratings-cqc

Author

South London News NHS and Wellbeing Desk Edited By Jimmy Nsubuga

From the corridors of St Thomas' to pioneering local clinics, the South London News NHS & Wellbeing Desk offers comprehensive coverage of our healthcare system. Our editorial staff provide clinical updates, patient success stories, and service analysis, ensuring our readers stay connected to the medical milestones happening in their community.

Every report is produced under the rigorous oversight of a leadership team with decades of experience at Yahoo UK, Metro, and the Daily Mail. By bridging the gap between clinical data and the patient experience, our desk upholds the highest standards of journalistic integrity to provide an accurate, authoritative perspective on the health of our city.