THE TRUST that runs Wharfedale Hospital has received a Good rating for the quality of its care.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), in results published this week, found that Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust had made 'significant improvements' since a review in 2014.

That earlier inspection had identified a number of issues which needed to be addressed.

The new report - which also rates Otley's Wharfedale Hospital Good as an individual site - is based on a visit made during May, 2016 and praises:

*The significant investment in time, effort and finances that has been made to create an open and transparent culture

*Clear direction and goals in the Trust’s clinical service units and improvements in services

*Stable leadership and good progress made in embedding the Trust’s values, known as The Leeds Way

*Strong leadership of services and wards, professional pride among staff and a positive culture around safety and learning from incidents.

The Trust's Chief Executive, Julian Hartley, said: "I am delighted this report shows that we were able to demonstrate, during a thorough inspection, that very significant improvements have been made in patient care across our hospitals.

"What the report shows again and again is what an excellent team of staff we have across a wide range of specialties at the Trust and in our support services, who are all committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for patients.

"On a personal level I was very pleased that the inspectors have acknowledged that the huge amount of effort put in across the organisation to develop an open and accountable culture, where staff feel empowered and involved, has

started to show benefits.

"This gives confidence to patients and the public that the services they can expect to receive here in Leeds are safe and high quality, with LTHT rated good for all three key lines of enquiry - effective, caring and well-led."

The full report can be viewed at cqc.org.uk/provider/RR8 .