An inspection by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors in September has found that the Wye Valley Trust is to stay in special measures but many aspects are improving.

As part of its inspection the Care Quality Commission inspection team visited the Trust’s community sites, including Ross Community Hospital.

As part of the inspection at Ross Community Hospital, inspectors reviewed eight random patient records in relation to the completion of malnutrition and noted that all assessments had been completed accurately, meaning staff were able to identify patients at risk of malnutrition and took appropriate actions to mitigate this risk.

More broadly, the report reflects the many improvements which have been made since the last CQC inspection in June 2014.

The ratings received from the Care Quality Commission reflect two distinct areas of operation - one focuses on services provided at Hereford County Hospital, the other focuses on the Trust’s community services.

The common thread throughout all the ratings is the caring and compassionate care the inspectors saw staff delivering to patients.

This was rated “good” throughout all areas. Most notably, within community health services for adults, the Care Quality Commission rated the care given to patients as “outstanding”.

Community health services for children were rated “good” in all categories and the CQC’s report highlighted the allotment project run by health visitors based at Ross Community Hospital which is helping to engage with local communities and encourage healthy eating.

Other areas which have improved are:

• Reporting of incidents when things go wrong

• The improved safety of patients in the Emergency Department

• Better engagement and communication with staff

Overall, the CQC rated the services provided at the Trust’s community’s hospitals as “good” for being well-led, caring and safe, while it said the effectiveness and responsiveness of these services required improvement.

A spokesman for the Trust told the Ross Gazette:?“The detail of the report paints a picture of an organisation on a journey of improvement and highlights areas where significant improvements have been made.”