Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust rated 'outstanding'

Services at the Royal Victoria Infirmary came in for particular praise

A North East hospital trust has been rated "outstanding" following an inspection by health watchdogs.

Services at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were found to be of "exceptional quality" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

It becomes the fifth trust nationally out of 200 to be given the rating.

The trust's chief executive officer, Sir Leonard Fenwick, praised the organisation's 14,000 members of staff for their hard work.

He said: "The staff have been tremendous and done a great job.

"The initial response of the board was to grant them an additional day's holiday."

Prof Sir Mike Richards, the chief inspector of hospitals, said: "There was a very clear vision and strategy for delivering the highest standards of patient care with quality and safety as a key focus."

The trust's main sites include the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) and the Freeman Hospital.

The Newcastle Breast Centre, located at the RVI, was highlighted for its work at the forefront of treating breast cancer.

Last month, the neighbouring Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust was also rated "outstanding" by the CQC.