Lancashire Care NHS Trust rated 'good' by health inspectors

Chief executive Heather Tierney Moore said she was "so proud" of the review

A care trust that was told to improve its services has now been classed as "good" overall by health inspectors.

The Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust was given the rating following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in September.

Chief Executive Heather Tierney Moore said she was "proud" of the progress made since its previous inspection.

The trust was told to focus on issues including staff training, safety and risk assessments in mental health.

'Fills us with pride'

The trust, which provides services in district nursing, offender health, and mental health and community services such as wellbeing, had been told it "required improvement" in November 2015.

Ms Moore said the improved rating was "a fantastic achievement solely down to hard work and effort" it has put into improvements.

"This fills us with pride and shows that we are a truly compassionate organisation," she said.

Ms Moore said a theme through the report was that patients were treated "with dignity and respect".

The trust said the issues highlighted were already being addressed and the relocation of Hurstwood Ward (formerly ward 22) from Burnley to Royal Blackburn Hospital has been completed.

The trust was set up in 2002 and has almost 7000 staff across 400 sites.

In October, a whistleblower who worked at the trust as a therapist claimed that dozens of prison inmates with serious mental health problems were being left untreated.

The trust denied the claim and said severe cases were treated.