STAFF have been roundly praised after hospital services in East Lancashire were given an overall ‘good’ rating by inspectors.

The announcement by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) completes a remarkable turnaround for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust after it was placed in ‘special measures’ just over three years ago.

Trust bosses and a patients’ watchdog believe the ‘hard work’ of trust employees is central to the new CQC finding.

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Emergency and urgent care units at the Royal Blackburn Teaching and Burnley General Teaching hospitals had adopted a number of ‘quality innovations’ to boost patient safety, according to the CQC, including a mental health triage system, rapid assessment reviews and a developing paediatric casualty service.

Eighteen-week targets from GP referral to treatment were regularly surpassed and an intensive home care team had helped with early emergency ward discharges.

In a report Prof Mike Richards, the CQC’s hospitals chief inspector, said: “Staff were proud of the work they did.

“They worked well together and supported each other when the services were under pressure.”

Kevin McGee, the hospitals trust’s chief executive, said: “This is a reflection of the hard work that our committed and dedicated staff have been carrying out ever since the trust was put into special measures in 2013.

“I am very proud to say that there is now official confirmation that people in the local area can have confidence in the services the trust delivers and be assured that they will receive the best care and treatment from our staff.”

He confirmed that the organisation, which has ambitions to become a university hospitals trust, will now work towards securing an ‘outstanding’ designation.

Inspectors felt that the trust could work harder to meet the four-hour A&E ward waiting target, which was missed throughout the year, and aim to promote more black and ethnic minority staff into senior roles.

Russ McLean, chairman of East Lancashire Patients’ Voice, said: “It is just wonderful news for patients, after the travesty of the trust being placed in special measures in 2013 and staff should be given credit for this. I would also like to think that this is due, in part, to the work everyone has done along the way, including Patients’ Voice.

“Under the leadership of Kevin McGee and the chairman, Prof Eileen Fairhurst, this progress can only continue.”

The hospital’s A&E is currently ranked second best in the region for dealing with a common form of sepsis. The two main hospital sites were rated ‘good’ in October 2015.