Women who gave birth at Queen’s Hospital have given “remarkable“ feedback about staff in the maternity department.

An independent panel of inspectors visited the Romford hospital to look at the work of the Supervisors of Midwives (SOMs).

A SOM is a midwife who has been qualified for at least three years and undertakes a preparation course.

They then supervise up to 15 midwives who can come to them for advice, guidance and support.

In their report, the Local Supervising Authority inspectors said: “The SOMs at the trust showed their dedication to providing a woman-focused maternity service.

“The feedback from service users was remarkable.”

Describing the SOMs as “supportive and accessible”, the report went on: “Users advised that they were pleasantly surprised by the quality of care they received, and that the reputation of the trust has improved significantly.

“The efforts made over the last year are noticeable and commendable. The team’s commitment to delivering an exceptional service to all its service users is exemplary.”

The report ties in with figures which show that the number of complaints received about the trust’s maternity services has plummeted.

Three years ago there was an average of 30 complaints each quarter.

During the first quarter of 2013/14 there were only nine.

Patient feedback has also been impressive, with 100 per cent of women who have a baby at the new Queen’s Birth Centre saying they would be happy to recommend it to others.

A spokesman for the trust said: “The Supervisors of Midwives at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust have played a key role in helping to turn around maternity services and improve the quality of care given to women.

“They were also instrumental in ensuring a smooth transition of services when maternity at King George Hospital was closed.”