The CQC said it told the Trust to submit a plan showing what action it was taking to make immediate improvements in response to inspectors’ concerns.
Carolyn Jenkinson, CQC’s deputy director of hospitals in the West Midlands, said that when inspectors visited Princess Royal Hospital, they found improvements in leadership, with staff feeling supported and able to speak up.
She said: “The culture around safety and learning was strong in both services, and we saw real commitment from teams to improve, which is a good foundation to build on.
“People said staff were kind, friendly and responsive, and we saw staff treating people with dignity and compassion throughout our time there.”
But Jenkinson said in some cases, patients were waiting more than 12 hours in chairs or on trolleys.
She added: “We know staff were doing their best in difficult circumstances and faced high levels of demand, but people deserve timely, appropriate care.”
Jo Williams, group chief executive at SATH, said the report reflected another step in the trust’s improvement journey.
“The CQC has recognised the new services and improvements we have made since 2024, however, we do not underestimate the work still to do,” Williams said.
“Our patients continue to face unacceptable waiting times, and we are committed to accelerating our progress through investing in new services and more modern tools to enable colleagues to deliver the best care.
“I am proud the CQC has recognised the care and compassion of our colleagues.
“We will keep moving forwards to ensure that everyone who receives care, visits or works across our services are consistently treated with kindness and respect and experiences the highest standards of care.”