North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust 'requires improvement'

The trust serves about 320,000 people

An NHS trust must improve after issues were found with staff shortages and infection control, a watchdog has said.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust's (NCIC) emergency and medical care earlier this year.

The report identified some improvements but said oversight of drugs, staff mandatory training rates and record keeping also needed to get better.

The trust said there was "work to do" and it was "committed" to improving.

The CQC inspected services at West Cumberland Hospital, the Cumberland Infirmary and Penrith Community Hospital from 6 to 8 June and 11 to 13 July this year.

The CQC said "some staff told us they did not feel they could raise concerns"

The CQC also found pain relief was not always given in a timely manner when patients needed it.

Inspectors said: "Some staff told us they did not feel they could raise concerns without fear of blame or reprisal."

• 'Rapid' action needed to keep patients safe

They did conclude:

• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness and respected their privacy and dignity.

• The service planned care to meet the needs of local people, took account of patients' individual needs and made it easy for people to give feedback.

Chief Nurse Jill Foster said: "It is encouraging that the CQC notes the progress that has been made since our last inspection and now it is our job to make sure that progress doesn't slip.

"I would like to assure our local communities that we are fully committed to delivering improvements and demonstrating further progress to the CQC next time they visit."

The CQC did not inspect maternity services, surgery, critical care, services for young people and children, end of life care, out-patients or diagnostics.