LANCASHIRE Care NHS Foundation Trust has launched a five-year plan to improve mental health services in the county following a critical inspectors’ report.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) yesterday ordered the organisation to improve in key areas, including preventing suicide risks, staff training and waiting times.

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Its report followed a four-day inspection of the trust, which provides hospital and community care to sufferers across the county, giving it a rating of “requires improvement”.

Nursing director Dee Roach has revealed steps the organisation was taking under a five-year plan to improve standards to attain a ‘good’ rating.

She said: “The trust is absolutely committed to providing high-quality care and services and we have recently aligned our whole strategy so that it is driven by quality.

“I think that it’s really important to highlight the fact the trust received an overall rating of good for providing services that are caring and responsive, which suggests that we have a solid foundation to build upon. “

She revealed that the trust has launched its Five Year Plan which contains six key elements:

  • High quality compassionate care and protection from harm;
  • Reduced waiting times delivering good outcomes;
  • Strong partnerships with GPs;
  • Support for a well-led workforce;
  • Excellent value for money; and
  • Innovation and use of technology to improve patient servies.

Ms Roach also outlined steps already taken to improve services including:

  • Remedial maintenance work;
  • All inpatient wards now have ligature risk assessments in place;
  • Improvements to ensure the privacy and dignity of patients is maintained;
  • Rolling recruitment programme focussed on securing qualified registered mental health nurses;
  • Improved mandatory and professional training at a new Quality Academy; and
  • Action to increase patient capacity.