Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission have found improvements in community health services for children, young people and families provided by Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

The rating for the service has been revised from Inadequate to Good following a CQC inspection at the trust in January.

Overall the trust’s rating remains Requires Improvement.

Speaking of the inspection the Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (and lead for mental health), Dr Paul Lelliott said: “Following our original inspection in 2015, we asked Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to make changes to improve the care in their community services for children, young people and families.

“It is clear that the trust has acted on the findings of our initial inspection and this is reflected in the improved quality of care we found this time round. We came across many examples where patient experience has improved, and services are more responsive to the needs of people using them."

Inspectors were impressed with areas of good practice including  the ‘Love Barrow Families’ initiative, designed to support families living in the most deprived areas of Barrow in Furness.

The project aims to improve the way adult and child health and social care services worked together to support families with complex needs.

Children, young people and families felt staff communicated with them effectively, kept them involved and informed about care and treatment, promoted the values of dignity and respect, and were kind and compassionate.

Since the previous CQC inspection in 2015, the trust had improved waiting times for children and young people in community paediatrics, audiology, learning disability nursing, and physiotherapy.

Inspectors also identified that the trust should ensure all nurses working in sexual health clinics who provide clinical care and treatment to children and people are trained to the appropriate level for safeguarding children.

Other areas for improvement included ensuring the school nursing service participates in health-promotion activities to support children in local schools.

The trust was also encouraged to ensure premises are secure and clinical areas are appropriately secured to ensure members of the public do not have unrestricted access.