Community trust with 'passionate' leaders rated outstanding

It is thought to be the first dedicated community health trust to be given the top rating.

Inspectors rated the trust outstanding overall as well as for whether its services are caring and well led. It is rated as good for whether its services were safe, effective and responsive. It had been rated good since a 2014 inspection.

CQC chief inspector of hospitals Ted Baker said inspectors found “a stable, cohesive, passionate executive team focused on patient safety and quality of care… with [a] clear strategic vision and commitment to staff engagement”.

The trust, which was inspected between 21 February and 23 March, provides community hospitals, community dentistry, services for children, young people and families, therapies, community nursing, end of life care and other specialist nursing services.

Professor Baker added: “We were extremely pleased with the care we found at [the trust]. There were many notable examples of outstanding practice… We saw examples where patients had become members of steering groups and attended staff mandatory training days to provide patient perspectives to staff.

“On all the units we visited, staff were caring and compassionate towards patients. Staff treated patients with kindness, dignity and respect. We found that staff were sensitive to the needs of the patients and their families.”

There were a “small number” of areas which do require improvement. It was told to improve its responsiveness in the community health services for children and young people, “take action to bring services into line with legal requirements within the community health inpatients service”.

Professor Baker continued: “We did, however, identify a small number of areas, for example responsiveness in the community health services for children and young people, where the trust could make some improvements. Also, we told the trust that it must take action to bring services into line with legal requirements within the community health inpatients service.

“Overwhelmingly, however, we found a trust that provides excellent care during our inspection. The trust board and all staff working at the trust are to be congratulated for their hard work in achieving such high standards across its services.”